BJP workers attack BRS MLA's office in Karimnagar, damage cars over drug remark row
Synopsis
BJP workers stormed a BRS MLA's camp office in Karimnagar, smashing cars and ransacking furniture after BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy alleged that Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar consumes drugs mixed with tobacco. Police detained BRS workers as rival groups clashed, while KTR accused the minister of behaving like a 'B-team for CM Revanth'.
Key Takeaways
BJP workers allegedly attacked the camp office of BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar in Karimnagar on 7 May .
BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy had alleged that Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar consumes drugs mixed with tobacco, triggering the violence.
BJP workers damaged Kaushik Reddy's car with sticks and ransacked office furniture; BRS workers retaliated by damaging Bandi Sanjay's car.
Police intervened and detained several BRS workers.
KTR condemned the attack and accused the police of being
Tension erupted at Karimnagar in Telangana on Thursday, 7 May after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers allegedly stormed the camp office of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Gangula Kamalakar, damaging vehicles and ransacking furniture in response to inflammatory remarks made by BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy against Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Police intervened and detained several BRS workers as rival groups clashed at the scene.
What Triggered the Violence
The confrontation began when Kaushik Reddy, while addressing a press conference at Kamalakar's office, alleged that Bandi Sanjay consumes drugs mixed with tobacco and attributed the minister's hair loss to this alleged habit. Kaushik Reddy further stated that BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) was willing to undergo a drug test and challenged Bandi Sanjay to do the same.
The Attack and Its Aftermath
Angered by the remarks, BJP workers descended on Kamalakar's camp office and attempted to confront Kaushik Reddy. They reportedly struck the MLA's car with sticks, smashing its windowpanes, and ransacked office furniture. In retaliation, a group of BRS workers allegedly damaged a car belonging to Bandi Sanjay parked in the same vicinity. Police arrived to disperse both groups, detaining some BRS workers in the process.
KTR and BRS Leaders Condemn the Attack
BRS working president KTR strongly condemned what he called a
Point of View
Where both parties are jostling for opposition space against the ruling Congress. The drug-test challenge by Kaushik Reddy was a calculated provocation — and the BJP's street response, rather than a political rebuttal, hands BRS a narrative advantage. KTR's framing of Bandi Sanjay as a 'B-team for CM Revanth' is a pointed attempt to undercut the BJP's credibility as a genuine opposition force. The police detention of BRS workers — not BJP workers — will add fuel to that charge.
NationPress
8 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did BJP workers attack the BRS MLA's office in Karimnagar?
BJP workers allegedly attacked the camp office of BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar in Karimnagar on 7 May after BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy alleged at a press conference that Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar consumes drugs mixed with tobacco. The BJP workers attempted to confront Kaushik Reddy and damaged his car and office furniture.
What did BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy say about Bandi Sanjay Kumar?
Kaushik Reddy alleged that Bandi Sanjay Kumar consumes drugs mixed with tobacco and attributed the minister's hair loss to this habit. He also stated that BRS working president KTR was ready to undergo a drug test and challenged Sanjay to do the same.
Were any arrests made after the Karimnagar violence?
Police intervened to disperse both groups and detained some BRS workers. No immediate information about BJP worker detentions was available from the source.
How did KTR respond to the attack on the BRS office?
KTR strongly condemned the attack, calling it 'utterly despicable' and likening the BJP workers to 'a pack of wild dogs.' He also criticised the police for allegedly standing by as spectators and accused Bandi Sanjay of undermining peace and security.
What did BRS leader Harish Rao demand after the Karimnagar attack?
Former minister and BRS leader T. Harish Rao demanded that the state government take strict action against those involved and that the Telangana DGP ensure peace and security in the state. He warned that if such attacks continued, people would take to the streets to protect democracy.
