GUNTUR: Tension prevailed in the spiritual town of Amaravathi in Palnadu district on Sunday when the opposition TDP and the ruling YSRC leaders made a vain bid to hold a debate on illegal sand mining in Pedakurapadu Assembly constituency.
Former TDP MLA Kommalapati Sridhar alleged that Pedakurapadu YSRC MLA Namburu Sankara Rao had committed several irregularities in sand mining and executing development works in the temple town.
The MLA refuted the charge and alleged that it was Sridhar who indulged in large-scale corruption during his tenure. They both challenged each other to take an oath in Amareswara Swamy temple on their cleanliness and a debate on the corruption allegations. Following this, police beefed up security in the temple town from Saturday night to prevent any untoward incident.
They also served notices on Sridhar and several other TDP leaders in five mandals of the segment asking them not to take part in the debate. The police inspected lodges and hotels in the town to prevent the huge gatherings of TDP activists. On Sunday morning, over 200 police personnel were deployed in the town and prohibitory orders were imposed.
TDP activists gathered in large numbers at the temple, pelted stones at police vehicles and tried to enter the temple forcibly. The police prevented the TDP leaders from entering the temple and arrested some of them, including Sridhar. The former MLA was later let off. Speaking to the media, Sridhar said illegal sand mining had increased in the district after the YSRC came to power.
Sankar Rao reached the temple and announced that he got evidence to prove the corrupt activities of Sridhar during his tenure and dared the latter to come along for an open debate with him on the issue if he is so confident about his claims.
The MLA highlighted the development works taken up in the constituency during the last four years. He also mocked Sridhar by stating that he couldn’t construct even a road from Amaravathi to the capital region. The police managed to disperse the YSRC leaders from the temple premises as well.
In order to prevent any further clash, the police imposed restrictions on people’s movement on temple street.