Andhra YC men go on rampage over ticket allotment

The scene at Gandhi Bhavan resembled a battle field as nearly 100 workers went on an arson spree destroying whatever they could lay their hands on even as senior leaders looked on helplessly. A television set, refrigerator and other furniture in the ante-room of PCC president was damaged before he was rescued by police.

The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. when Mallikarjun and PCC general secretary Marri Ravinder Reddy were in the former’s chamber discussing the party’s poll strategies.

A few activists first stood in front of the Gandhi Bhavan entrance and raised slogans opposing Nadendla Bhaskar Rao’s candidature from Khammam. Several others joined them a little later and raised slogans in support of Sudhakar Reddy. Soon after, they gatecrashed into Gandhi Bhavan and started ransacking the furniture.

Meanwhile, some of them barged into Mallikarjun’s chambers and raised anti-Nadenlda slogans. They gheroaed him for about 15 minutes demanding B’ form for Sudhakar Reddy to contest from Khammam. The PCC president’s appeal to the workers to maintain discipline went unheeded.

Even as Mallikarjun was trying to pacify the crowd, some activists poured petrol on the furniture in the press conference room and set it ablaze. Thick smoke engulfed the entire building forcing Ravinder Reddy and Mallikarjun to come out.

After the free-for-all which lasted about 15 minutes, the youth congress workers drove to MLA quarters where they attempted to beat up Chandrasekhar, accusing him of opposing Sudhakar Reddy’s nomination. The mob damaged his car and tried to break open the door but left the place when the police arrived.

Earlier, Reddy’s followers attempted to attack Bhaskara Rao at the airport. Rao denied that he was beaten up but youth congress activists claimed that they had manhandled the senior leader. The former chief minister was rescued by his security men who took him outside the airport through an exit on the rear side.