MACHILIPATNAM: Tension continued to mount in Gudivada on Monday when a showdown appeared imminent between supporters of YSRC and those of Telugu Desam over the issue of YSRC vacating the building in which it has located its office.
Vijayawada TDP leader Budha Venkanna, former MLA Venkateswara Rao, party district president B Arjunudu and Pamarru constituency in-charge Varla Ramaiah tried to force their way into the office when the police stepped in and stopped them in time. Meanwhile, scores of YSRC activists too descended on the place. Heated arguments were witnessed between the two groups and finally the police managed to send the TDP leaders away from the place.
Building owner G Sushila, a relative of chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, had lodged a complaint with the police in the past that despite her pleas to YSRC MLA Kodali Nani, the latter continued to use the premises for the YSRC office. Sushila rented out her building to Nani in 2002 and after he joined the YSRC two years ago, she had been asking him to vacate the premises.
Acting on Sushila’s complaint, the police on Sunday tried to have the building vacated using force. When Kodali Nani tried to stop them, he was arrested and was taken to Kaikaluru police station.
Later, he was brought back to Gudivada and on personal surety, he was freed.
Ex-MLA, 9 Others Held for Creating Ruckus at Excise PS
Machilipatnam: Former MLA and YSRC leader Perni Nani along with nine others were arrested by police on Monday on charges of obstructing excise department officials from discharging their duties. They were produced before court, which remanded them judicial custody till November 27. Recently, excise department officials conducted raids on some bars and liquor shops that belong to YSRC sympathisers and registered cases. Taking exception to them and accusing excise department of blindly following the directions excise minister, Nani and others created ruckus at excise police station. Tension prevailed for some time at Chilakalapudi police station, where Nani and others were taken to after their arrest. YSRC activists in large number descended on the place. However, police produced them before the court and they were remanded to judicial custody. With bail petition by Nani and others getting rejected, they were shifted to Machilipatnam Sub-Jail. Condemning the arrests of Perni Nani and other YSRC activists, Gudur MLA Kodali Nani accused TDP government of employing oppressive tactics against the Opposition leaders.