The Congress government in Andhra Pradesh was left red-faced on Saturday when two of its Cabinet ministers were arrested by the police in Mahbubnagar district to avert a showdown between them.
Endowments Minister Jupally Krishna Rao and Information and Public Relations Minister D K Aruna were taken into police custody at two separate places and shifted to different police stations as tension mounted in Gadwal constituency in view of the former's paada yatra (foot march) in support of Telangana.
Aruna was subsequently set free on personal surety as she had to take part in a programme to mark Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary, a senior police officer said over phone.
Jupally refused to obtain bail, demanding that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy intervene and permit his march in Gadwal constituenc, which is represented by Aruna.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas' intervention in the afternoon too did not resolve the issue as the two ministers, apparently engaged in a turf war in their native district, refused to climb down from their respective stands.
As the chief minister was in New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and All India Congress Committee leaders, a few ministers informally discussed their Cabinet colleagues' arrest.
Aruna, who represents Gadwal, objected to Jupally's yatra in her segment. Jupally, on the other hand, sought police protection as his yatra was to enter Gadwal on Saturday.
As he was about to embark on his yatra from Aiza town, police took Jupally into custody and shifted him to Pebberu police station. Aruna was also detained in Tummalapalli village and taken to Dharur police station.
"Both the ministers were taken into preventive custody to avert a law and order problem," Mahbubnagar district Superintendent of Police G Sudheer Babu said, adding the situation was under control.
