Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempt to hold a public meeting at Gurajala in Palnadu region of Guntur district on Monday to highlight the alleged failures of the YSR Congress party government in the last 100 days raised many eyebrows.
The police refused permission to BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana to address the public meeting at Gurajala. They arrested him at Nandigam crossroads near Sattenapalli town while he was on his way and shifted him to the NSP Guest house.
The BJP also wanted to protest against the growing attacks on party activists after the YSRCP came to power in the State at the Gurajala meeting.
First of all, Kanna knows very well that the Palnadu region was boiling ever since Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu gave a call for Chalo Atmakur rally last week and he was kept under house arrest.
Secondly, the police have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 and also Section 30 of the police act.
Thirdly, the region was tense since Monday afternoon due to sudden suicide of former speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao. So, if Kanna addresses a public meeting to criticize Jagan for harassing the political rivals, it will add fuel to fire.
Fourthly, the BJP has little presence in Gurajala region as it was always dominated by the YSR Congress (previously, it was Congress domination) and the TDP. So, there would not have been any political benefits to the BJP with the meeting. Instead, it will only help the TDP, if YSRC is attacked.
Had Kanna planned the public meeting at Guntur or some other place in Andhra, perhaps, he would have got the permission. But for reasons known to him, he chose Gurajala knowing fully well the conditions there.
Kanna told media that after the YSRCP government came to power in the State, attacks were on the rise on BJP activists.
He criticised the government for its failure to maintain law and order in the State.