KHAMMAM: Top cadres of the of the Telugu Desam Party district unit, who differed in the organisational polls, split into two groups, turned unruly and resorted to a verbal confrontation at the party district unit office on Wednesday. They pushed each other taking by surprise two senior leaders,

Erraballi Dayakar Rao and Dhulipala Nerender deputed by the State leadership as election observers.

Passions ran high as rival groups challenged each other. The party observers who were in for a rude shock warned the clashing groups of severe action.

Trouble started as the supporters of Potla Nageswara Rao indulged in sloganeering denouncing the moves to re-induct Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, former MLA, into the district committee.

They contended that Venkata Veeraiah had worked against the party candidate in the MLC elections contributing to the defeat of Potla Nageswara Rao. Thummala Nageswara Rao, former Minister and the

Party district committee president tried to pacify them but in vain. Some of the party workers shouted slogans hailing the leadership of

`Thummala' thus annoying their rivals.

Protest

In the meantime, the supporters of Balasani Lakshmi Narayana, one of the main contenders for the post of the party district president,

surrounded the observers and lodged their protest. They also indulged in slogan shouting. Balasani Lakshmi Narayana walked away from the party office warning the rivals of severe consequences

if the choice of majority was not considered in reorganizing the district committee.

The party observers had several rounds of discussions with the rival groups for the past two days. They made all-outs efforts to make the election of the district president a smooth affair, but in vain.

Five get the stick

The Telugu Desam Party has expelled five leaders of Khammam district from the organisation.

In a statement issued here, Mr. Erraballi Dayakar Rao said that the five members of the party- Maddineni Harnath babu, Mettam Ramana Rao, M. Lakshman Rao, Thota Upender and Manukonda Madhav Rao, responsible for the unruly scenes at the party office -- were expelled. He said that a report would be sent to the leadership on the provocative gestures made by some other leaders during episode.

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