PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana’s home turf Viziangaram is set to become a battle ground on Monday with leaders of both the Telugu Desam and the Congress ready to lock horns over the protest against shady liquor businesses, planned by the opposition party.
Seeing an opportunity after a recent expose by the ACB sleuths that owners of as many as 103 of Vizianagaram district’s 202 liquor shops are holding white ration card, which the main opposition par-ty alleges are the benamis of the PCC chief, the TD planned a protest on a large scale at the district collectorate to take on Mr Satyanarayana in his bastion. As soon as the TD announced its plans to organise the dharna, to be led by party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, local Congress cadres warned of dire consequences if the former CM enters Vizianagaram on Monday.
In a counter move, Congress leaders also announced a similar protest at the same venue — the district collectorate. The police however, denied permissions to both the parties. “We have invoked Section 30 of the Police Act in the town and accordingly no meeting will be allowed without prior permission. We have not given permission to anyone to hold any programme on Monday. We will react or respond as per the situation,” Vizianagaram SP Kartikeya Mishra said.
Alleging that the district police was acting at the behest of Mr Satyanarayana to stall the protest, Mr Naidu on Saturday came down heavily on Congress’ attitude. “Whether permission is given or not, we are determined to go ahead with the protest. Party state level leaders along with thousands of TD men and women activists led by Mr Naidu would take part in the protest as planned,” TD district president D. Jagadeesh said. Mr Satyanarayana’s brother and MLA Botsa Narsaiah stated that the Congress never said that it would stop Mr Naidu from entering Vizianagaram. However, the MLA accused him of following double standards.