- YSRCP leaders' visit to Undavalli sparked clashes amid ongoing land dispute tensions
- Farmers protested forced land acquisition, alleging pressure and soil digging near fields
- YSRCP claims TDP activists attacked their leaders and vehicles during the visit
Political tension gripped Undavalli village in Andhra Pradesh's Amaravati capital region on Saturday after a visit by YSRCP leaders and members of the CRDA Farmers Protection Committee ended in chaos and clashes. The incident triggered a political blame game between the ruling TDP and the opposition YSRCP over the ongoing land acquisition dispute in the capital region.
According to YSRC, the delegation visited Undavalli and nearby Penumaka following an ''invitation'' from farmers who have been protesting for several days against what they describe as forced land acquisition.
They alleged that farmers are facing pressure for refusing to surrender their lands and claimed that soil was dug up around their fields, preventing them from continuing cultivation.
As the delegation reached Undavalli, tension escalated. The YSRCP alleged that TDP activists attacked its leaders, farmers and vehicles by pelting stones and throwing eggs. Several vehicles were reportedly damaged during the violence. The opposition also claimed that some police personnel deployed at the spot suffered injuries while trying to control the situation.
Senior YSRCP leaders, including Devineni Avinash, Ambati Rambabu, Lella Appireddy and Perni Nani, were part of the visit. The party blamed the ruling TDP-led NDA for using intimidation to silence farmers opposing land acquisition and demanded strict action against those responsible for the violence.
The Amaravati capital region's farmers staged black-flag protests against the YSRCP visit. Protesters raised slogans of "YSRCP Go Back" and demanded that the opposition first accept Amaravati as the sole capital before touring the region. Farmers and women gathered at Undavalli Centre and blocked the YSRCP convoy, accusing the party of creating political controversy over the capital issue.
The TDP and Amaravati farmers alleged that the YSRCP visit was politically motivated, while the opposition defended that it was only for hearing the grievances of affected farmers. The political clash has once again brought the Amaravati land issue to the centre of state politics, with both sides blaming each other.
Police have stepped up security in the area as tensions continue.
