The programme held to pay tributes to former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on his birth anniversary at the Gandhi Bhavan was marked by unsavoury scenes as 2 groups of Congress activists resorted to abusing each other.
The programme, held by the Pradesh Congress Committee at the state headquarters of the party, was underway, with Chief Minister K Rosaiah, PCC chief D Srinivas and MP K V P Ramachandra Rao offering floral tributes to YSR.
Rosaiah was about to begin his speech, when supporters of the late chief minister started to raise slogans of 'YSR Amar Hai' and 'Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega, YSR Tera Naam Rahega'.
The slogans were immediately matched by supporters of incumbent Chief Minister K Rosaiah, who resorted to shouting 'Rosaiah Zindabad' and 'Rosaiah Ki Hukumat Zindabad'.
The hitherto unheard-of slogans led to the first group trying to quieten the second group, which led to an argument taking place, even as the Congress leaders watched the turn of events with shock. As the argument turned to abuses, Rosaiah walked away without delivering his speech, followed by Srinivas and KVP.
The slogan-shouting soon diminished, as did the abuses and the arguments.
Rosaiah vented his dismay at the 'skirmish' on the party leaders present standing near his motorcade, and said that what had just occurred was wrong. He said that there had been no groupism in the Congress party since it came back to power in 2004, and the events which had just taken place were very distressing.