YSRCP leader skips CM's programme after police stops him at helipad

Amaravati, April 12:  Senior leader of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy on Wednesday returned from Markapuram in Prakasam district without attending Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's programme after he was stopped by security officials from reaching the helipad in his vehicle.

Srinivasa Reddy left for Ongole in a huff without attending the programme even as minister A. Suresh and other leaders tried to pacify him.

The incident occurred a few minutes before the arrival of the chief minister at the helipad at Markapuram to attend a programme to release funds for Economically Backward Classes (EBCs).

When ministers and other leaders were heading towards the helipad to receive the chief minister, the security personnel stopped Srinivasa Reddy's car and asked him to get down and walk to the helipad. Taken aback by this, the senior leader pulled up police officials.

Angry over the behaviour of police, he returned from there in his vehicle even as Suresh, district SP and other leaders tried to pacify him.

Srinivasa Reddy, who is the regional coordinator of the ruling party, is also a relative of the chief minister.

He was unhappy after Jagan Mohan Reddy dropped him from the Cabinet last year and was reported to be even planning to quit as an MLA.

Srinivasa Reddy, who had served as a minister in the Cabinet of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, was angry over Jagan Reddy dropping him while retaining many others who are junior to him.

The chief minister, however, had pacified him.