The consultative meeting of the Vellore District Congress Committee turned into a battleground following a group clash on Saturday.
The meeting was convened to discuss the measures to be adopted for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, including improving the party’s position in the district and to plan a working schedule and campaign for the election.
The meeting, led by the All India Congress Committee secretary and MLA in Andhra Pradesh, Dr G Chinna Reddy, began around 10 am on Saturday. Within 10 minutes, an argument erupted between the supporters of former Vellore MLA C Gnanasekaran and former Vellore city president Vedagiri.
The verbal duel gradually turned violent and the cadre started attacking each other. The clash continued for around 15 minutes, after which they were pacified.
Following this, Chinna Reddy said the cadre should work together for the success of the party in the Lok Sabha elections. He also said that the party has lower success rate in Tamil Nadu and the functionaries need to work harder to increase the success rate to 30 per cent.
Chinna Reddy then advised the cadre to meet him in person and discuss the problems faced by them in the party rather than fighting out in the open, and took up the grievances of the partymen personally. The meeting was resumed and went on till 3 pm. Issues of filling-up of vacancies in the district party was also discussed.