SHARING VIEWS: Jayaprakash Narayan, convener of Lok Satta greeting N. Indrasena Reddy, State BJP president, at the convention in Hyderabad on Sunday. PHOTO: P. V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: Leaders of various political parties were of the unanimous view that the menace of factionalism was spreading because factional leaders were jumping into politics in their bid to enjoy political authority and thereby consolidate their position.

Speakers at the convention held here on Sunday by an organisation called AWAY gave a call to all parties and voters to keep such elements at bay. Rajya Sabha member of Congress V. Hanumantha Rao said he would represent to AICC president Sonia Gandhi against admitting into the party people with factional background.

Bad practice

Finance Minister K. Rosaiah too said there was a thin line dividing factional violence and rivalry between political parties in affected villages.

He felt the tendency of leaders to see that their rivals were physically eliminated in order to establish their supremacy in villages was a bad democratic practice.

Mr. Rosaiah said factional violence had touched the peak in the State. He attributed it to growing political rivalry in affected villages to have an upper hand.

"There is no place in democracy for leaders who do not want their rivals to exist," he remarked.

Mr. Hanumantha Rao expressed dismay that factional leaders settled land dealings on the outskirts of Hyderabad. He was sorry that even Home Minister K. Jana Reddy, who was present beside him, was helpless. BJP State president N. Indrasena Reddy regretted that the parties used factional leaders to improve their vote bank.

Mr. Jana Reddy, CPI Member of Parliament S. Sudhakar Reddy, film star Murali Mohan and veteran Congress leader E. Ayyapu Reddy also spoke.

Freedom fighter Konda Lakshman Bapuji inaugurated the meet.

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