Some unidentified persons resorted to a pepper spray attack on former Union Minister and BJP candidate for the Rajampet parliamentary constituency, Daggubati Purandeswari, during her roadshow at Somala mandal headquarters in Punganur Assembly segment on Sunday night.
Ms Purandeswari has been on a whirlwind tour of the LS constituency after she filed her nomination. As part of her campaign, her roadshow commenced at Somala around 8 p.m. When her convoy reached a poorly lit zone a few metres away from the bus stop, there was a sudden spray of pepper in the air right in front of her. Standing on the roadshow vehicle, Ms Purandeswari and the local leaders bore the brunt of the attack, leading to tension for a while, as they rubbed their eyes in irritation.
The BJP cadres and the bodyguards surrounding the vehicle searched for the miscreants, they mixed with the crowd and disappeared. The police rushed to the spot and controlled the mob frenzy. Later, the roadshow continued as usual.
Reacting to the pepper spray attack, Ms Purandeswari said that the forces who were afraid of the response of the public to her had resorted to the act, adding that she could not be cowed down by such things. “In a democratic country, everybody has the right to campaign anywhere,” she added.
Punganur Assembly constituency is the bastion of YSRC leader and former Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, who is the party’s MLA candidate. His son, Mithun Reddy, has locked horns with Purandeswari as the YSRC candidate.
