Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists and leaders on Thursday staged protests at the Vizianagaram and Srikakulam Collectorates, demanding that Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Venkateswara Rao (Nani) be removed from the Sate Cabinet immediately for his ‘derogatory comments against the Hindu Gods’ during a TV debate recently.
Party’s Vizianagaram district president Reddi Pavani accused the YSRCP government of raking up religious sentiments to consolidate its vote bank among the minorities.
BJP leaders K. Subbarao, Baggam Rajesh Kumar, Bhavireddy Shivaprasad Reddy, Teegala Haranath and others raised slogans against Mr. Venkateswara Rao.
Party’s Srikakulam district president Attada Ravi Babji and senior leaders Pudi Tirupati Rao, Duppala Ravindra Babu tried to enter the Collector’s office to register their protest.
“The government is trying to suppress the voice of the BJP cadres by misusing its power,” alleged BJP Etcherla constituency in-charge Nadukuditi Eswara Rao. BJP Tekkali convener H. Udaybhaskar also took part in the protest.