TIRUPATI : Former YSRC MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy and Chandragiri TDP MLA Pulivarthi Nani are locked in a war of words over post-poll violence in the Assembly constituency.
On the polling day, the vehicle of Mohith Reddy, son of Chevireddy, was set on fire at Kammapalli village, and the following day, Nani was attacked by an unruly mob at Sri Padmavathi Mahila University where EVMs were stored. The attack led to several arrests and the suspension of police personnel and the transfer of Tirupati SP Krishnakant Patel. Subsequently, 37 persons allegedly associated with the YSRC were arrested.
Chevireddy on Sunday accused Nani of faking his hospitalisation to garner sympathy from TDP rank and file and the general public. He produced a ‘video evidence’ of Nani protesting hours after the alleged attack, and questioned the necessity of getting admitted to Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences.
Nani and his wife Pulivarthi Sudha Reddy refuted the allegation, asserting that the TDP MLA sustained serious injuries in the attack, and could not even fulfil his vow to trek to Tirumala Hills.
They termed Chevireddy’s allegation an attention diversion tactic, fearing potential legal consequences for his son Mohith Reddy.