Irukalala Parameswari Jatra triggers political row in Nellore

Nellore: Irukalala Parameswari temple is now the centre of political activity in the district headquarters where the YSR Congress rebel legislator K Sridhar Reddy and Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy groups are at loggerheads over conducting the annual festival.

The temple is located on the banks of Nellore tank in the city limits and is an important temple for Nelloreans where the local Goddess is offered prayers on every Tuesday and Friday.

Annual Jatra is being organised at the temple every year in a grand manner. Rural legislator K Sridhar Reddy has planned to conduct the fete this year too and submitted a letter to the endowments department for organising the festival. With Sridhar Reddy's exit from the party, the officials allegedly denied permission to conduct the festival.

Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy blamed Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy and party leader Anam Vijaya Kumar Reddy for their inside role in creating hurdles for the Jatra this year. He visited the temple on Sunday and offered prayers. Speaking on the occasion, Sridhar Reddy said that he had sought permission to conduct the event and the officials initially also accepted it till Saturday.

But suddenly they denied permission for the event through postings in social media. They informed that there has been no permission for conducting the ritual.

Kotamreddy alleged that the ruling party leaders Adala and Anam have been playing politics in the temple activities and harassing officials for implementing their autocratic rules. He charged that endowment official Prasad has been forwarding messages on cancellation of Jatra from his WhatsApp since Saturday night, he added.