KURNOOL: A tense situation prevailed at Sirivella mandal headquarters on Sunday after alleged supporters of Tourism Minister Akhila Priya pelted stones on a cycle yatra organised by her party rival leader and former chairman of the Irrigation Development Corporation AV Subba Reddy. The senior TDP leader took out the cycle rally to sensitise people about the advantages of Special Category Status (SCS).
In protest against the attack on their rally, the supporters of Subba Reddy called for Allagadda bandh on Monday. A turf war has been going on between Akhila Priya and Subba Reddy, who was a loyal aide of her late father Bhuma Nagi Reddy. After Bhuma’s death, Akhila and Subba Reddy went their own separate ways.
According to followers of Subba Reddy, some supporters of Akhila threw stones on the cycle rally and fled in their vehicles carrying stickers with ‘Bhuma’ written on them. Sirivella is considered the bastion of late Bhuma Nagireddy.
The huge response to the cycle rally taken out by Subba Reddy is said to have incensed the camp of the Tourism Minster, according to local observers. Later, Subba Reddy lodged a complaint with the Allagadda DSP.
Kurnool SP Gopinath Jatti told mediapersons that in view of the situation prevailing at Sirivella and Allagadda, security was beefed up.