The town of Macherla in Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh witnessed violent clashes between ruling YSRCP workers and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) cadre during a TDP programme organised in the area. The police had to impose prohibitory orders following the violence. While the clashes were between supporters of two political parties, the police maintained that the clashes were not politically motivated but were faction feuds.
TDP alleged that vehicles and houses of its leaders and the party office in Macherla were set on fire by YSRCP workers. TV visuals showed unidentified people setting fire to vehicles and attacking houses. A video clip in which a mob is seen thrashing a person who fell to the ground has also gone viral. TDP state unit president Kinjerapu Atchen Naidu condemned the violence and said, “Are opposition parties not eligible to stage protest programmes? Macherla is nobody’s personal property.”
According to Palnadu Superintendent of Police Y Ravi Sankar Reddy, the police swung into action immediately and dispersed the clashing mob. The district police carried out a cordon and search operation on early Saturday morning based on information received that some people involved in a murder case were taking shelter in Macherla town.
"There are faction-related issues in this (clashes). These factionists join one party or the other and take support. During TDP’s Idem Kharma programme, people from one side tried to provoke the other party members. Also, there was stone pelting after the other party’s cadre retaliated. In any angle, these clashes are not related to political differences, but faction feuds," the SP said.
“Additional forces have been deployed in the town and section 144 has been imposed. The situation is under control. Cases will be booked against all the perpetrators, and the investigation is on,” he added.
Taking to Twitter, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu condemned the alleged attacks on his party workers. "I strongly condemn the attacks of YCP goons on TDP ranks in Macherla, the incidents of setting fire to party leaders' houses and party offices. It is even worse that the police are blowing the horns of the ruling party's rowdyism,” he tweeted on Friday night. In another tweet, he questioned what the police were doing when the YSRCP "goons" were indulging in "anarchy."
Condemning the violence that broke out in Macherla, YSRCP MLA Kasu Mahesh pinned the blame on Chandrababu Naidu and said his choice of candidate for Macherla was the reason for the violent clashes. He said, “Macherla has been peaceful for the last twenty years. The sudden eruption of violence should be looked into. Chandrababu Naidu had visited Palnadu district two weeks ago and instigated the cadre and called for them to take to the streets and also called for clashes with the police and the YSRCP cadre. The candidate TDP has chosen in Macherla, has a factional background and has been directly involved in several murders. The last six months, violence has started because there is instigation.”
He reasoned that the YSRCP candidate had been winning since 2012 and the region had not witnessed any violence since 2009.
(With IANS inputs)