Amaravati: Unidentified miscreants pelted the car of a ruling YSR Congress MLA with stones here on Tuesday, even as farmers of Amaravati region organised a road blockade demanding that the Andhra Pradesh government drop the move to shift the state capital.
The Telugu Desam Party is supporting the farmers' agitation while the YSRC has alleged that "opposition party goons" were responsible for the attack on MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy.
Reacting to the attack on him, MLA Ramakrishna Reddy, who represents Macherla constituency in Guntur district, said it was a "clear conspiracy”, adding that “ In the guise of farmers, the TDP henchmen attacked me and my security personnel with sticks and stones and damaged my car."
Meanwhile, police detained several TDP leaders, including legislators, as they tried to proceed to China Kaakani to take part in the National Highway blockade in solidarity with the agitating farmers.
Read: Amaravati Protest: TDP MPs placed under house arrest
TDP MLC Nara Lokesh, MLA Nimmala Ramanaidu and former minister Kollu Ravindra were taken into custody and taken to far-off Thotlavalluru police station.
“We have taken them into custody in view of the prevailing tension on the NH, as the leaders prepared to go there,” police said.
The TDP alleged that several of its leaders were placed under house-arrest since morning to prevent them from taking part in the farmers' agitation.
MPs Galla Jayadev, Kesineni Srinivas, former ministers D U Rao, N Anand Babu, former MLA Y Srinivasa Rao and others were placed under house-arrest.
A large posse of police was posted on the NH-16 near China Kaakani as the farmers staged the road blockade.
State Education Minister A Suresh was caught in the traffic jam, following which police forcibly evicted the protesting farmers and took them away to nearby police stations.
"There is information that some anti-social elements may cause trouble during the agitation and hence we have not permitted the road blockade," Guntur Range Inspector General of Police Vineet Brijlal said in a statement.
In the villages in Amaravati region, farmers and their families continued their protest for the 22nd day on Tuesday, opposing the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government's move to relocate the state capital to Visakhapatnam.
