HYDERABAD: Ministers Jupalli Krishna Rao and DK Aruna, who are engaged in a turf war in Mahaboobnagar district, were arrested by the police as the former’s padayatra entered the Gadwal constituency on Saturday.The restive followers of the ministers gave a bandh call in the Gadwal and Aiza areas and some buses were damaged in protest against the arrest of their leaders.While the information and public relations minister was proceeding towards Gattu mandal to obstruct the endowments minister’s padayatra in the morning, police took her into custody and shifted her to the Dharoor police station. Jupalli was arrested while leaving the guest house at Aiza to continue the padayatra. When the police tried to arrest him, Jupalli threatened to commit suicide but the police acted tough, took him into custody and shifted to the Pebbair police station.While Aruna was released later on personal surety, Jupalli said he would not seek bail till chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy gave him permission to undertake padayatra in the Gadwal area. The serious situation prompted PCC chief D Srinivas to call upon the ministers to maintain restraint and resolve the issue amicably.Aruna, who has had differences with Jupalli for some time over district politics, declared openly that she would obstruct the latter’s padayatra from entering her constituency (Gadwal). Talking to hte media after her release, she urged the Congress high command to take action against Jupalli whom she accused of being in collusion with some Congress leaders who had switched their loyality from the Telugu Desam to Congress before the 2009 elections and were trying to split the party.‘‘Jupalli is undertaking the padayatra on the Telangana issue for ‘personal gains’ since all the Telangana Congress leaders in the region have come to a decision to struggle for the T cause collectively. I have already made a complaint to AICC general secretary in charge of state Congress affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad during his recent visit to the city. I have no objection if he (Jupalli) undertakes padayatra in other segments in the district. How can he intrude into my segment without saying a word to me? In fact, he wanted to create a rift in the party in the Gadwal segment,” she alleged.Jupalli Krishna Rao, who represents Kollapur, had resigned as endowments minister but his resignation is yet to be accepted. He has been on a padayatra, Telangana Praja Abhiyan, in Mahaboobnagar district since April 28 demanding statehood for Telangana.Talking to newsmen, Jupalli asserted that he would continue his padayatra from the same place (Gadwal) even if he was arrested and sent to jail. It was not proper for Aruna to obstruct the padayatra meant for Telangana cause. Moreover, his padayatra was launched with prior permission from the police authorities concerned, he claimed. Talking to newsmen at Gandhi Bhavan, PCC chief D Srinivas said he did not see any ‘turf war’ between the two ministers. “I think there is some communication gap between the two which can be sorted out,” he said.
Comments
0 comment