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Faction Fight Triggers Panic
Highlights
The Factional Fights between two rival groups in Prakasam district has once again flared up. The attack on YSRCP MLA Gottipati Ravikumar and his followers allegedly by the rival faction led by former MP Karanam Balaram and his son Venkatesh sent shock waves across the district.
The Factional Fights between two rival groups in Prakasam district has once again flared up. The attack on YSRCP MLA Gottipati Ravikumar and his followers allegedly by the rival faction led by former MP Karanam Balaram and his son Venkatesh sent shock waves across the district.
The long-standing rivalry between the two rival factions has been smouldering for more than three decades. The recent general elections appear to have aggravated the situation with Ravikumar defeating Venkatesh from Addanki Assembly constituency. Ravikumar continued to win from the constituency during last three elections. It is also significant to note that he was the first Congress candidate to win from Addanki constituency in the united Andhra Pradesh.
It may be recalled that Balaram, a staunch TDP activist, switched to the Congress during 1994 elections and contested on the Congress ticket from Addanki Assembly elections. Gottipati Hanumantha Rao, who led the rival faction, switched from the Congress to the TDP and defeated Balaram. Later Balaram returned to the TDP. Hanumantha Rao’s son Kishore also died a violent death in the faction fight.
In 2004 elections to Assembly, the Congress fielded Ravikumar and he won the election. He was elected once again 2009 and in 2014 he won on the YSRCP ticket. He defeated Balaram’s son Venkatesh and the TDP candidate.
This seemed to sharpen the rivalry between them. There were instances of Ravikumar and Balaram throwing challenges at each other in public.
Meanwhile, on Monday both Ravikumar and Balaram attended the irrigation review meeting chaired by Minister for Agriculture P Pulla Rao. Venkatesh too joined his father along with his followers later. Soon after the meeting the Minister left the Collectorate where the review meeting was held, a wordy duel broke out between the followers of the two factions. Tension was in air from the beginning with both Balaram, his son and Ravikumar attended the meeting. Trouble erupted suddenly and rival factions started throwing stones at each other. Ravikumar’s gunman at one stage was seen taking up position to protect the MLA.
At least five persons suffered bleeding injuries and Ravikumar’s car was damaged. It is speculated that the clash could have been triggered by rumours that Ravikumar is moving close to the TDP. But the YSRCP leaders dismissed it as pigment of imagination nursed by Ravikumar’s opponents.
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