TDP Leader Protests With Bed Outside Police Station Over Attack On Colleagues

Anantapur (AP): High political drama unfolded in Andhra Pradesh's Tadipatri on Thursday as senior TDP leader J.C. Prabhakar Reddy staged a protest outside the Tadipatri Rural Police Station, demanding action over an alleged attack on party workers in Thimmampalli village.Reddy reportedly lay on a bed outside the police station and announced that he would continue his protest overnight, increasing pressure on the police to act against those allegedly involved in the incident.The protest followed reports of a clash between TDP and YSRCP supporters in Thimmampalli village under Yellanur mandal, where members of both groups allegedly resorted to stone-pelting.TDP supporters alleged that YSRCP workers attacked their houses during the confrontation.The latest developments have once again brought the longstanding political rivalry between J.C. Prabhakar Reddy and former MLA Kethireddy Pedda Reddy into the spotlight.A former Tadipatri MLA, Prabhakar Reddy belongs to the influential J.C. political family. His brother, J.C. Diwakar Reddy, is also a veteran politician. Prabhakar Reddy has served as chairman of the Tadipatri Municipality and is known for his strong grassroots network in the region.Kethireddy Pedda Reddy represented the Tadipatri Assembly constituency from 2019 to 2024. He defeated J.C. Prabhakar Reddy's son, J.C. Ashmit Reddy, in the 2019 Assembly election but lost to him in the 2024 polls. Despite the defeat, he remains a prominent YSRCP leader in the Tadipatri-Yellanur belt.Both leaders command substantial political support, and their rivalry has often been accompanied by heightened tensions and increased police deployment in the area. Amid Prabhakar Reddy's protest, reports emerged that unidentified persons vandalised the houses of two YSRCP leaders.A large group of TDP supporters also gathered outside the residence of Kethireddy Pedda Reddy, prompting police intervention.Heavy police deployment was reported across Tadipatri as authorities sought to prevent any further escalation and maintain law and order.