A fresh row has been triggered in Telangana after the BJP’s state unit chief – Bandi Sanjay – was denied permission to hold the fifth phase of his “Praja Sangrama Yatra” on Sunday. The party has now moved the Telangana High Court and the court is expected to hear the matter on Monday. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was among the party leaders who were scheduled to address the party gathering on Monday.
Chaos unfolded late on Sunday night as cops were seen stopping the party workers in visuals posted on Twitter by the Telangana unit of the BJP. Some of the workers were seen lying on road as mark of protest. Visuals also captured moments when argument broke out between Bandi Sanjay and the cops as he was stopped. “Is Bainsa restricted area ? Why can’t we go there? How will CM who can’t let us conduct a meeting peacefully, protect state? Police stopped me & made me return to Karimnagar & reason is response to PrajaSangramaYatra5. This is evidence of KCR’s dictatorial rule. We’ll go to court (sic),” tweeted Bandi Sanjay, hitting out Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
Many of his party colleagues also targeted the Chief Minister, popularly known as KCR, amid reports of detention of Bandi Sanjay. “I strongly condemn the arrest of @BJP4Telangana State President @bandisanjay_bjp and our karyakartas just a day befoe #PrajaSangramaYatra5 that is commencing from #Bhainsa. Heights of KCR’s autocratic rule in #Telangana. We will fight back strongly & stand with our karyakartas. (sic),” tweeted Rajya Sabha MP Dr K Laxman.
“Suppression of peoples voice, banning of public meetings and attack on houses of public representatives have become a common trend in Telangana under corrupt & dynastic TRS rule,” Union Minister G Kishan Reddy wrote.
“BJP Telangana has approached the High Court for an urgent hearing, after police, under instructions from KCR, denied permission for #PrajaSangramaYatra. Last night, BJP president Bandi Sanjay and cadres were not allowed to go to Bhainsa. KCR can’t stop BJP’s rise in Telangana…,” tweeted Amit Malviya, BJP’s IT cell incharge.
“Another face-off in Telangana. After giving go ahead to BJP’s #PrajaSangramaYatra, scheduled to start tomorrow, police, on instructions of KCR, rescinded permission. They have laid siege to Bhainsa, town from where Yatra was to begin. BJP workers are being detained and assaulted. (sic)” he said in another post.
The BJP and the ruling TRS have sparred over various issues in the recent past, with the MLA poaching row being one of them. Accusations were made against the BJP of trying to topple the ruling government.