The vandalism carried out by Telugu Desam Party workers at the residence of YSR Congress Party leader and former MLA Nallapurreddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy in Nellore on Tuesday morning has created a tense atmosphere in the town.
The YSRCP, led by former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, strongly condemned the attack, portraying it as yet another instance of growing lawlessness in the state.
However, the TDP has defended the incident, claiming it was provoked by Prasanna’s derogatory remarks against sitting MLA Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy, the wife of Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy.
According to a TDP statement, Prasanna made highly offensive comments, accusing Prashanthi of blackmailing and marrying the MP.
He even insinuated that she might poison her husband in his sleep and made a crude reference to the MP “falling into a borewell” after their marriage.
Speaking at a YSRCP constituency-level meeting in Padugupadu village, Kovur constituency, on Monday afternoon, Prasanna reportedly said: “Nobody was ready to marry her, so she ended up with Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy. If he had asked me, I would have arranged a young girl for him to marry.”
He added: “Where were you 10 years ago? I have information that two attempts have already been made to eliminate you. You own assets worth thousands of crores; be careful,” along with several other indecent remarks.
“What’s worse,” the TDP added, “is that YSRCP leaders and cadre present on stage applauded him, revealing the party’s toxic culture of disrespecting women.”
The comments sparked widespread protests across the Kovur constituency, with thousands of women taking to the streets demanding that Prasanna be barred from entering the area for making obscene remarks about a local woman MLA.
Women from several villages and party activists gathered in large numbers at Mandabayalu Centre in Kovur town, condemning the former six-time MLA’s vulgar statements and calling them disgraceful.
TDP women leaders filed a formal complaint against Prasanna Kumar Reddy at the Kovur Police Station.
Protesters chanted slogans demanding that he publicly apologize to MLA Prashanthi Reddy before being allowed back into the constituency.
Jana Sena Party president and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also strongly condemned Prasanna’s remarks, criticizing him for insulting women’s dignity and using degrading language.
He slammed YSRCP leaders for frequently targeting women with vulgar comments and questioned whether personal lives should be subjected to such attacks.