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Unified Andhra supporters attack BJP office

December 30, 2009 00:09 IST
A group of supporters of unified Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday attacked the local Bharatiya Janata Party office in Vijayawada, where a press conference was on, and damaged furniture.

BJP Secretary K Hari Babu was addressing the media to clarify the party stand on bifurcation of the state, when the pro-Andhra activists, belonging to the Congress, barged inside the office under the leadership of Sunkara Padma.

The activists, numbering more than 20, raised slogans against the BJP, which is advocating a separate Telangana state, and in support of an unified Andhra Pradesh.

BJP leaders asked them to leave the office and pushed the Congress workers, who in turn, damaged the chairs and allegedly manhandled BJP press secretary Subrmaniam.

Learning about the incident, Assistant Police Commissioner Prakasara Rao arrived at the spot with a team and arrested Sunkara Padma and one of her supporters.

Later, Youth Congress leader Devineni Avinash, son of former legislator Devineni Nehru, came to the spot with some 15 followers and objected to the BJP's support to the bifurcation of the state.

Avinash alleged the BJP was instigating the people and its local leaders were working under pressure from their counterparts in Telangana. Police pacified Avinash and managed to send him away from the scene. 

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