Kurnool: KE Prabhakar gives pep talk to TDP cadres

Kurnool: Former minister and TDP MLC KE Prabhakar termed the current gram panchayat elections 'semi-finals', and said the party should win them to reach the finals. He conducted a meeting of party activists at Dhone on Thursday in a bid to infuse courage and confidence among them ahead of panchayat battle.

Speaking on the occasion, Prabhakar said that the YSRCP had tried to postpone the elections fearing loss in the polls but the Supreme Court verdict thwarted its plans. "These panchayat elections are like semi finals in kabaddi, cricket and other sports. We have to win the semi-finals to enter finals," he commented.

Alleging that police were filing false cases against TDP leaders including him and K E Pratap, he called on the party cadres not to be intimidated by them. "Whenever a policeman calls you to police station, just say that I will definitely come along with KE Prabhakar. I will come anytime and wherever you want," he said.

Prabhakar said the state government had become intolerant of criticism and booking anyone who questioned it. He said recently Veldurthy police filed cases on the former Union minister and TDP leader Kotla Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy and Pathikonda constituency in-charge K E Shyam Babu, son of former deputy chief minister K E Krishna Murthy. Even the former Banaganapalle MLA, BC Janardhan Reddy, was booked under SC/ST case, he added.

Even on Wednesday, a kidnap case was registered against Nandyal former MLA Bhuma Bhramananda Reddy, he said adding that all these incidents were indicating the vindictive attitude of the YSRCP government.

He said one Bajarappa, of Baladur village in Adoni mandal who was all set to contest the sarpanch poll on behalf of TDP was attacked and severely injured by the YSRCP supporters. Several such incidents targeting only TDP cadres were taking place in the district, he alleged.

The MLC said many people in the district were vexed with the attitude of ruling party leaders and were ready to teach them a lesson in the panchayat elections.

At the start of the meeting, Prabhakar paid floral tributes to the former chief minister and party founder N T Rama Rao.