The attack on YSR Congress party leaders including former MLA Namburi Shankar Rao at Pedakurapadu in Palnadu district by the Telugu Desam Party workers on Tuesday once again showed the ugly factional politics in Palnadu region.
The attack took place when Namburi Shankar Rao was on his way to inspect the damaged crop fields in Vaikuntapuram, Pedda Manduru, Endrayi, and Munugodu villages and to console the affected farmers.
The TDP workers tried to attack the former MLA at the 14th mile in Pedakurapadu constituency. Wielding sticks and rods, they launched a violent assault on YSRCP workers, destroying their vehicles.
A large group of TDP leaders had gathered to carry out the attack, but the police were prepared to stop them at the 14th mile.
Meanwhile, YSR Congress workers, waiting for Namburi, were attacked with sticks by TDP leaders, who also shattered the car windows.
This is obviously a sort of revenge politics in the Palnadu region, as such things have become common whenever there is a change in the ruling party.
When the YSRCP led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was in power, there used to be similar attacks by the YSRCP leaders on the TDP.
For example in September last year, the YSRCP workers owing allegiance to Namburi Shankar Rao attacked the TDP dharna camp at Tadikonda in the same district. Similar incidents of factional attacks were reported in Pedakurapadu during the Jagan regime.
Now that the TDP is in power, the party leaders and cadre in Palnadu have started retaliatory attacks on the YSRCP leaders and former MLAs and are refusing to allow them tour the villages.