A controversy over the ownership of the party building led to clashes between the Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi cadre in Manunguru in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Sunday, forcing the police to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC.
The action came ahead of a press conference scheduled in the evening by former MLA and BRS district president Rega Kantha Rao. Heavy police deployment has been made around the BRS office to ensure peace.
The dispute has its roots in the 2018 assembly elections, when Rega Kantha Rao won from the Pinapaka constituency as a Congress candidate before later defecting to the BRS.
After joining the BRS, he reportedly converted the then-Congress party office into a BRS office, which had drawn protests from Congress workers at the time.
The issue resurfaced after Kantha Rao lost the recent assembly elections to Congress candidate Payam Venkateshwarlu, following which the Congress returned to power in the state.
On Sunday morning, a group of Congress activists allegedly stormed the disputed office, destroyed furniture and set it on fire. Firefighters rushed to the spot and doused the flames before they spread further.
Reacting to the incident, Rega Kantha Rao strongly condemned the attack by Congress workers.
Speaking to the media in Kothagudem, he described the incident as a “shameful act” and said he would file a police complaint against those responsible.
He also appealed to BRS workers and leaders to maintain restraint and coordination in response to the provocation.
“I am not afraid of threats or intimidation. If the Congress leaders have legitimate documents proving their claim to the office, I am ready to hand it over,” Kantha Rao said, asserting his faith in the rule of law.
He expressed anguish that valuable items were damaged during the attack and questioned whether raising concerns about Pinapaka’s development warranted such violence.
