YSR Congress men throw chairs at Botcha meet

VIJAYAWADA: State Congress president Botcha Satayanaryana faced embarrassing moments here on Friday when a group of activists, believed to be the followers of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, attempted to disrupt a public meeting organised here in connection with the second death anniversary of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.The PCC president was here to unveil an 18-ft-high bronze statue of the former chief minister near the Police Control Room near the RTC bus station.As soon as Satyanarayana arrived at the venue, the activists, shouting slogans against him, tried to prevent him from unveiling the statue as they contended that he was not eligible to do so since he and the Congress party had humiliated the late YSR on several occasions.After arrival at the Gannavaram airport, he, along with district Congress leaders, went in a rally to the Police Control Room, the heart of Vijayawada city, where he was to unveil the statue.As he unveiled the statute, a group of people sitting near the dais shouted slogans against him.As slogan-shouting was going on, another group, which included women, began throwing chairs onto the dais. As the situation was going out of control, the police moved in even as others retaliated by hurling back the same chairs on the trouble-makers.Minister K Parthasarathy, in his speech, hit out at YSR Congress activists and asserted that only the Congress had the legacy and right to honour YSR since the Congress government was implementing all the welfare programmes launched by YSR.Satyanarayana too, addressing the crowd, attacked YSR Congress leaders and Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Redy saying that at a time when Anna Hazare was campaigning against corruption, there were some leaders in the state who wanted licence for corruption. “Some MLAs, branding themselves as followers of the former chief minister, resigned in an attempt to dethrone the government that was brough to power by YSR.With what face would they approach the people seeking votes if the speaker accepts their resignations? Will the MLAs seek a licence for their corrupt activities?’’ he asked.YSR’s close associate and Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao attended the meeting but refused to speak, saying he was not an orator.