Former minister Balineni slighted, keeps off Jagan's public meeting in Markapuram

TIRUPATI: YSR Congress regional coordinator and former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy returned from Markapuram in Prakasam district on Wednesday without attending Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's programme. He was reportedly stopped by the police while on his way to the helipad to receive the CM.

The chief minister addressed a public gathering at Markapuram to release financial support to the eligible poor women from upper-caste groups, under the EBC Nestham scheme. Some state ministers, all the party MLAs, constituency in-charges and local YSRC leaders had assembled at the helipad to welcome the chief minister.

The police halted Balineni’s vehicle at the entry gate and requested him to proceed by foot. Irked by this unexpected development, the former minister got into an argument with the police and yelled at them, eyewitnesses said.

Minister Adimulapu Suresh and SP Mallika Garg hurried to the spot and apologised to the former minister, saying this was an error on the part of the field staff. They urged Balineni to get into his car and proceed to the helipad, but he didn’t. He suspected that the exclusion of his vehicle in the list of protocol vehicles for VIPs was a planned bid to embarrass him.

Minister Suresh and SP Mallika clarified to Balineni that there was no such effort and that this was caused by miscommunication among the field staff. The minister and other YSRC leaders tried to calm Balineli down and requested him to attend the CM’s programme. Balineni, instead, returned to Ongole. Ongole Mayor Gangada Sujatha and Balineni’s followers have also left the place along with him.