SRIKAKULAM: Telugu Desam Party, though a byword for discipline, is riven by factionalism. The fact came to light during a meeting of mandal party workers to select a gram committee of the TDP at Palakonda Friday. The warring groups fought pitched battles by hurling chairs at each other, while people watched the proceedings in despair.
Unanimity eluded between party Palakonda assembly segment incharge Jayakrishna and TDP district secretary Appala Naidu factions on the committee selection. The dormant groupism came to the fore when Appala Naidu was on the mic and was disconnected by the followers of ZPTC Damodara. The followers of the two groups then traded filty insults, leading to fisticuffs.
With the intervention of police, temporary truce was established by the warring groups. The top party leadership expressed displeasure as the simmering factionalism for the last many months. This is the second time that Palakonda witnessed such fierce groupism in the TDP. However, the district and state leaders did not try to pacify and bring unity among the fighting activists.