Tension prevailed at the Congress Legislature Party office, when office-bearers did not allow former minister Dr. P Shankar Rao to speak at the office unless he took the office secretary's permission.
Protesting against the CLP's move to lock the office, Shankar Rao staged a protest in front of the CLP, and conducted a press meet on the staircase.
Addressing media persons, Shankar Rao accused the CLP and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy of violating his constitutional right to express his concern on public issues.
Taking a serious note on not being allowed to speak at the CLP office, the former minister said that he required no permission to express his opinion on public issues. He said he would lodge a complaint with Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar in this regard.
Stating that CLP office-bearers have been insulting loyal Congress workers by setting new modalities, he said that no one could dictate terms to him as both the CLP and the Chief Minister were nominated by the Congress High Command.
Responding to a question on what would happen if he is suspended from the Congress for making controversial statements against the chief minister, Shankar Rao said that people would suspend the Congress from the state.
Stating that the CM alone would be held responsible for the outcome of the by-elections, he said that the High Command would replace Kiran Kumar Reddy by 15 June, and that a "new era" would start soon.
It may be mentioned here that the CLP office-bearers, recently, set modalities to prevent the "misuse" of the CLP platform for dissident activities. As per the new norms, leaders are required to take prior permission before holding press conferences on any issue. (INN)