Ruckus at meeting to distribute ration cards in Asifabad; MLA hurls water bottle at Cong. leader

A ruckus broke out during a meeting to distribute new ration cards to beneficiaries in Asifabad after local legislator Kova Laxmi of BRS hurled water bottles at Congress leader A. Shyam Naik in the district headquarters town on Thursday.

A verbal duel ensued between Ms. Laxmi and Mr. Naik during the former’s speech leading to the commotion. The visibly angry MLA lobbed water bottles kept on the table on the dais at Mr. Naik, who was standing on the left side of the podium.

The meeting descended into chaos following the incident. The officials, who were caught off guard by the unexpected incident, tried to persuade the irate MLA to calm down.

Later, speaking to the media, Mr. Naik demanded action against Ms Laxmi for what he called “rude behaviour”, “unbecoming” of the stature of an MLA. He alleged that the MLA of the Opposition BRS made adverse remarks against the ruling Congress, heedless of a plethora of welfare schemes, including distribution of new ration cards by the current Congress dispensation.

Ms. Laxmi refuted his allegations and accused him of “unduly interfering” during her speech with “narrow political machinations”.