Chiranjeevi greeted with eggs, slippers

Kadapa : There was tension in Pulivendula on Friday when alleged YSR Congress activists hurled eggs, stones, slippers and sticks on Praja Rajyam chief and Tirupati legislator K Chiranjeevi and some others during a road show conducted by the Congress.

At the Muddanur Circle, when the situation seemed slipping out of hand, police were forced to use mild lathicharge to control the violence and took one person into custody for stone-throwing.

When the convoy of Chiranjeevi, Congress candidates DL Ravindra Reddy and YS Vivekanda Reddy entered the town and stopped for the leaders to address the crowds there was sudden rain of eggs on them. When the convoy reached Pullangadi Circle, sticks were thrown at them and at Muddanur circle stones and slippers were hurled. Vivekananda Reddy was hit by a slipper.

Condemning the attack, Chiranjeevi said that he had joined the Congress to work for YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s ideals but did not expect such a reception. He called upon the people of Pulivendula to be wary of whom they would vote for. “If you vote for one who, after winning the election, will only sit in Bangalore, you will repent.

If you vote for the one, who has always been with you through thick and thin, you will continue to progress.’’ But, when he was about to seek votes for DL Ravindra Reddy, there was a sudden commotion in the crowd with people shouting, all at a time. Winding up his road show for the day, Chiranjeevi went to Vivekananda Reddy’s house where he will stay for the night.
Earlier, PRP president K Chiranjeevi called upon the people to vote for Congress candidate DL Ravindra Reddy, who will work for the betterment of the constituency.

Sporting the Congress party `kanduva’ and standing besides the party candidate Ravindra Reddy in an open top vehicle, he addressed roadshows as at Chintakommadinne, Nandimandalam, Chakarayapaeta, Nagulaguttapalle, Balatimmayagaripalle, Vempalle and Pulivendula.

He said that byelections were forced on the people because of hunger for power of a single leader, who wants to become the chief minister.

It is the selfishness of that leader, which had put additional burden on the public, he said. Chiranjeevi said he mobilised party MLAs seeking their support for becoming the chief minister even as his father was yet to be cremated. The PRP leader said when Congress president Sonia Gandhi had asked him to be patient and opportunities would come his way, Jagan took it as an insult.

“Was it an insult asking him to be patient? It is being described as contest between self-respect and arrogance.
Who is arrogant?’’ Chiranjeevi questioned.

Stating that several welfare programmes initiated by the former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy were being implemented in toto, he asked the people not to believe the propaganda of Jagan that welfare schemes were being neglected.

“If you do not vote for the Congress party, which cares for you, than you would be deceiving yourself,’’ he said.
Justifying his party’s merger with the Congress, the PRP leader said impressed by Sonia Gandhi’s commitment for the poor and downtrodden, he had merged his party with the Congress.

Congress candidate for Kadapa Parliament seat DL Ravindra Reddy, ministers Kanna Lakshmi Narayana, N Raghuveera Reddy, PRP district leader B Hariprasad, DCC president M Ashok Kumar and others were present.

(IE)