MLA Ramana Murthy Raju Slaps Man at Rachabanda

Even before the dust on Congress MLA Jaggareddy's brash behaviour could settle, another ruling party MLA landed himself in trouble by allegedly slapping the son of a former TDP sarpanch at a Rachabanda programme on Friday.

Yalamanchili MLA, U V Ramana Murthy Raju, alias Kanna Babu, slapped Appala Raju, son of former TDP sarpanch Nagireddy Suryanarayana, with a chappal when the latter questioned the government's failure to keep its promises made during the first phase of Rachabanda. This unsavoury incident took place in Cheemalapalli in Achyutapuram mandal. The MLA later clarified that he only pushed an agitated Raju and denied slapping him. Raju complained that it was only the Congress workers who were getting the benefits of Rachabanda, whereas, workers of other parties are denied any sops. He alleged that the authorities were not issuing ration cards to the poor. Upset over these remarks, Kanna Babu lost his cool. He stepped down from the dais and pushed Raju aside. Police personnel tried to stop the MLA but he pushed Raju after slapping him hard with the chappal. He shouted at Raju saying that he would not keep quiet if people keep throwing mud on the government. Even as tempers ran high, police intervened and sent Raju away.

The TDP workers raised slogans against the MLA and alleged that the he slapped their man. Police said that they have not seen the MLA using the chappal, but agreed that they have seen Raju being pushed by him. Sangareddy MLA Jagga Reddy was arrested and released recently for slapping a man at a Rachabanda programme in Sadashivpet in Medak district on November 5