VIJAYAWADA: Tension prevailed in Moghalrajpuram here on Sunday evening, when followers of Vangaveeti Radhakrishna clashed with police who prevented him and his mother Vangaveeti Ratnakumari from going to Satyanarayanapuram to address a press conference to condemn YSRC Trade Union leader P Goutham Reddy’s derogatory comments against the late Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga. The mother-son duo were taken into preventive custody fearing unrest, but were later released.
The YSRC late at night announced Reddy’s suspension. In an interview with a Telugu TV channel, Goutham Reddy likened Ranga to a snake and said his assassination in 1988 was bound to happen. Taking exception to the comments against his father, Radhakrishna, who is also from the YSRC, along with his mother, started from their house in Madhu Chowk in Moghalrajpuram area to hold a press conference at Food Junction in Satyanarayanapuram, which is near Goutham Reddy’s residence.
Radhakrishna and Ratnakumari were, however, given the option to hold the meet at their residence.
A heated argument took place between police and Radhakrishna, which escalated into a push-and-pull situation. In the mêlée, Ratnakumari fainted and Radhakrishna’s shirt was torn.
“We advised them to hold the press conference at their residence in view of a possible law and order problem, but they did not listen and we took them into preventive custody,” a senior police officer told TNIE.Meanwhile, YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the comments made by Reddy and a showcause notice was issued to him.
“What Goutham Reddy said is his personal view and not related to the party,” K Parthasarathy, YSRC spokesperson told media in Hyderabad.Condemning the Goutham Reddy’s comments, Parthasarathy said such unwanted and unwarranted comments against someone or some group will not be tolerated.
He said once, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy returns from Kadapa, he will decide on the next course of action.
According to sources, Goutham Reddy who contested for Vijayawada Central Assembly seat on YSRC ticket against Telugu Desam’s Bonda Umamaheswara Rao in 2014 lost the seat was hoping that the party would nominate him again in 2019 when Malladi Vishnu, who was elected to the Assembly from the same constituency in 2009 joined the YSRC recently.
Malladi Vishnu, a confidant of late Ranga, contested on Congress ticket but lost the election in 2014, forfeiting even his security deposit.Though Goutham Reddy dismissed the speculation as baseless that he would be joining the TDP, he will have no option with YSRC chief Jagan Mohan Reddy too being unhappy with his comments on late Ranga as they had the potential to hurt the sentiments of kapus who are substantial in number not only in Vijayawada Central constituency but also in the coastal belt of the state.It remains to be seen how the TDP leadership would react if Gowtham Reddy sends any signals to join the party since with his comments on late Ranga he had already incurred the wrath of the kapus.