Andhra Pradesh

CPI (M) cadres stage dharna, ‘pray’ to Mahatma

TIRUPATI: The war of mutual attrition between the Tirupati MLA, M. Venkatramana (Congress) and the CPI (M) cadres is deepening. What triggered the ruckus was the alleged intemperate outbursts by the MLA against the CPI (M) workers who sought to kick-up a row at the Praja Patham programme over his unfulfilled promises.

As the terms between the congress and the CPI (M) is already so, a visibly upset Venkatramana has asked the interrupting CPI (M) cadres and other women who joined chorus with them to ‘shut up and sit down’ which eventually escalated into heated exchanges between the two groups.

The situation aggravated further yesterday with a similar war of words between the two leading this time to a virtual free for all at the Praja Patham. While the MLA criticized the CPI (M) cadres for deliberately trying to create confusion at the meetings for their political mileage, the left party leaders could hardly conceal their ire at the ‘unparliamentary language’ used by the MLA against them especially against the women participating in the programme.

It is against this backdrop that the district leaders of the CPI (M) and its various frontal organizations held a dharna before the Gandhi statue here on Friday to ‘pray’ the Mahatma to let wiser counsel prevail on the MLA atleast while participating in public programmes. District party secretary, K. Kumar Reddy criticized that it was unfair on the part of the Congress MLA to lose temper with the CPI (M) forgetting that it was with the support of the left parties that he could become the MLA. Leaders of CITU, AIDWA pledged to continue their agitation till the MLA tendered his apology.

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