Tension over Water Users panel polls in Kadapa district, police detain Avinash Reddy

Huge crowds of the Telugu Desam had gathered there following a controversy over the issuing of ‘No Dues’ certificates to farmers to enable them contest the water users sssociation elections.

The polls are scheduled for December 14. Contestants have to submit the No Dues certificates from the revenue department vis-a-vis their water user charges.

YSRC leader Maheswar Reddy from Gollala village went to the Vemula tehsidar’s office to obtain the No Dues certificate on Thursday. TD cadres tore away the papers prevent him from contesting the elections.

He informed YS Avinash Reddy over the incident. The MP along with his party men arrived at the Vemula police station on Friday. While he was speaking to the SI, a large number of TD activists reached there. This led to a tense situation.

Avinash Reddy attempted to go to the tahsildar’s office to register his protest over Thursday’s incident there. The police however prevented him from going ahead. Avinash staged a protest on the road. The police forcibly shifted him to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy camp office in Pulivendula, to avoid any untoward incidents.

Speaking to the media, Avinash Reddy flayed the state government, saying it was misusing the police and revenue departments to prevent YSRC leaders from contesting the farmers’ panel elections.

“Normally, the No Dues certificates shall be issued by VROs at villages. But the present government insisted on obtaining it at the tehsildar’s office with an intention to outwit the YSRC cadres,” he alleged.

The water users association polls will be held on Saturday across the state. The police are on an alert over the possibility of violence in the faction-hit and hyper sensitive villages in Rayalaseema etc.

The TD, BJP and Jana Sena leaders were trying to win the maximum number of water user associations across the state.