Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao was detained by police on Tuesday when he tried to travel to Nalgonda, where he was scheduled to meet BJP district president Nagam Varshit Reddy and his family following a clash between BJP and Congress workers.
Rao was initially placed under house arrest at his residence in Tarnaka, with police preventing him from leaving. When he later tried to head towards Nalgonda, officers stopped him and took him to Gandhi Nagar Police Station.
The BJP has strongly objected to the detention, accusing the Congress led Telangana government of deliberately stopping its state president from meeting party workers and their families.
The dispute stems from violence reported in Nalgonda between supporters of the BJP and Congress. The BJP has alleged that Reddy’s house was attacked and members of his family were assaulted, including his mother. The party said Rao wanted to visit the family and stand by them following the incident.
The allegations have become another flashpoint between the ruling Congress and the BJP in Telangana. The two sides have traded accusations over a series of incidents in Nalgonda, with each camp blaming the other for escalating tensions.
Rao criticised the police action and questioned why he was being stopped from visiting a party worker’s family. He accused the state government of trying to silence the Opposition and said he had every right to travel to Nalgonda and meet those affected.
BJP leaders also came out in support of Rao. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy condemned the detention, while Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government over the action against the BJP state chief.
Police action against Rao has since added a political dimension to what began as a local clash between party workers. BJP leaders have called the detention undemocratic, while the authorities have moved to prevent further escalation of tensions in the area.
The Nalgonda episode has once again brought the growing political rivalry between the BJP and Congress in Telangana into focus. With both parties making serious allegations against each other, the focus is now on the police investigation and whether those responsible for the reported violence will face action.
For the BJP, Rao’s detention has become a fresh point of attack against the Congress government. For the state administration, containing further clashes and maintaining law and order remains the immediate challenge.
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