Political temperatures go up over Babhli, Rosaiah to meet PM

Political temperatures today escalated over the Babhli issue as Maharashtra government shifted TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and his supporters from Dharmabad to Aurangabad jail, triggering charges of police high-handedness.

The sensitive issue saw the Congress government of Andhra Pradesh side with the opposition TDP for the first time in the matter as Chief Minister K Rosaiah denounced police action and decided to lead an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi on July 23.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil informed the state Assembly a decision on sending Naidu back to Andhra Pradesh would be taken by tomorrow.

A day after the TDP called a state-wide bandh to protest Naidu's arrest, the former Chief Minister along with other arrested lawmakers was bundled into police vehicles and shifted to Aurangabad amid vehement protests by supporters who were baton-charged.

TDP MLC Y B Rajendra Prasad, who claimed he was among those who faced police action, alleged that Naidu and others were "indiscriminately manhandled", resulting in injuries to some legislators.

Naidu's shirt was torn in the melee when Maharashtra police drove the TDP chief's personal security guards away from the scene, Prasad told PTI.

He alleged that Naidu's guards were chased away though the TDP chief was given special protection and the police showed no regard for the leader, who was not well after being in custody for past four days.