Date:14/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/14/stories/2005051410120400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

`TDP chief is to blame'

Special Correspondent

Telugu Desam leaders accused of inciting partymen

Demand for judicial probe rejected
Shifting of Anantapur SP, Rayalaseema IG ruled out

Chief Minister and party seniors not to visit Penukonda till polls are over

HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has squarely blamed the Telugu Desam Party, particularly its president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, for the Penukonda violence which he described as "very unfortunate."

He rejected Mr. Naidu's demand for a judicial probe into the firing on the ground such incidents did not require it.

A magisterial enquiry had already been ordered. He conveyed his sympathies of the families of those killed, including the Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police.

Addressing a press conference after discussing the Penukonda developments with the APCC president, K. Keshava Rao, and later with some Cabinet colleagues, Dr. Reddy declared that he would not visit Penukonda for the electioneering as it might further vitiate lest the atmosphere.

In fact, none of the senior Congress leaders except Dr. Keshava Rao and the Ministers hailing from Anantapur district -- J. C. Diwakar Reddy and N. Raghuveera Reddy, would visit the Assembly constituency.

Security tightened

As the first step to prevent recurrence of such incidents, he said ban orders under Section 144 Cr PC were imposed on the town and additional forces sent.

He rejected the TDP's another demand for shifting the Rayalaseema IG of Police.

He dismissed a suggestion that he could have exerted pressure on the TDP leadership not to field Paritala Sunita.On the Telugu Desam's charge that the incident was handiwork of outsiders, he said several top TD leaders such as T. Devender Goud and N. Janardhan Reddy were present at the RDO office and they were all outsiders. They "incited" the crowds to attack the office and the police with stones.

He said the Congress sincerely wished to rid Anantapur district of factional violence. Accordingly, it had proposed to Telugu Desam not to field anyone from families with a background of factional violence.

But, Mr. Naidu had chosen to nominate Ms. Sunita leading to violence today. After emerging from the meeting Dr. Keshava Rao described the violence as a tactic by the TDP to scare away Congressmen from the area.

The Congress Legislature Party too put the blame on the TDP president. Mr. Raghuveera Reddy, secretary of the CLP, E. Pratap Reddy, and the Government Chief Whip, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, said followers of Paritala Ravindra were armed with soda bottles and stones when they went to the RDO's office.