Two Telangana MLAs almost came to blows at a ministerial review meeting held on Sunday at Karimnagar in the presence of senior Congress ministers.

BRS MLA of Huzurabad Padi Kaushik Reddy and BRS-turned-Congress MLA of Jagtial Sanjay Kumar had a heated exchange and the meeting turned chaotic before police intervened to lead the former out of the meeting hall.

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The ministerial review meeting was held at Karimnagar collectorate in which senior ministers like Ponnam Prabhakar, D Sridhar Babu, and N Uttam Kumar Reddy were present for a discussion on government schemes like Rythu Bharosa for farmers, Indiraamma Atmiya Bharosa for tenant farmers and Indiraamma Illu (housing) and the issue of new ration cards.

MLA of Jagtial Sanjay Kumar spoke in favour of the Congress government. While he was speaking, an enraged BRS MLA, Padi Kaushik Reddy, was seen rushing towards him shouting “Which party are you from? If you dare, go and contest on a Congress ticket.”

A verbal duel ensued between the two, though Reddy was far more aggressive. Initially restrained by other people present in the meeting, he was seen towering over Sanjay Kumar before the police intervened. It was alleged he was abusive towards his fellow MLA from Jagtial. Reddy was then physically pushed out of the meeting hall by the police personnel. Later, Padi Kaushik Reddy demanded that the poll promises made by the Congress should be fulfilled including Rs 15,000 under the Rythu Bharosha scheme for every farmer and the six guarantees. He added, “There is no point in being afraid if Congress incites violence” referring to yesterday’s incident of vandalism at the BRS party office in Bhongir by Congress activists after a leader allegedly abused chief minister Revanth Reddy.

Sanjay Kumar is a two-time MLA who defeated Congress heavyweight leader from Jagtial, T Jeevan Reddy. However, he is one of the ten BRS MLAs who defected to Congress last year. The defection not only caused heartburn in the BRS but also within the Congress as Jeevan Reddy and his supporters resent his presence in the party.