Telangana Police on Monday, 9 November detained senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former MLA Patnam Narender Reddy at the Baharpet crossroads in Parigi while he was travelling to Kosgi in Narayanpet district to console the family of a deceased party worker and attend the funeral. The detention drew immediate condemnation from BRS leadership, who called it an assault on democratic rights.

What Happened at Baharpet Crossroads

Narender Reddy, a former MLA from the Kodangal constituency, was stopped by police at the Baharpet crossroads in Parigi before he could reach Kosgi. He lodged a sharp protest on the spot. 'What kind of people's government is this? When our party leader, an activist, dies, will you stop people from going to pay their last respects?' he asked the officers present.

Police action was reportedly prompted by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's ongoing visit to Kodangal — his own Assembly constituency — which was in its third consecutive day as of Monday. Kosgi falls within the Kodangal constituency.

KTR Condemns the Action

BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao called the detention 'illegal' and said it exposed the 'undemocratic and autocratic attitude' of the Congress government. 'What was the need to arrest a leader who was simply going to offer support to the family of a party worker in distress? Has standing by a grieving family become a crime under this so-called Indiramma Rajyam,' he asked.

Rama Rao further alleged that the Congress government, which had come to power promising 'people's governance' (Praja Palana), was now 'trampling upon democratic rights and stifling the voices of opposition leaders.' He demanded Narender Reddy's immediate and unconditional release. 'The BRS will not be cowed by such vindictive actions of the Congress government. Our struggle on behalf of the people and our party workers will continue,' he said.

BRS MLA Sabitha Indra Reddy Also Weighs In

BRS Legislative Party Deputy Leader and former minister Patlolla Sabitha Indra Reddy described the detention as 'highly unjust and undemocratic.' She pointed out the irony that the Congress government — which had promised to end the era of 'barricades' — was now deploying those very tactics against opposition figures. 'Today, across Telangana, one sees only the suppression of dissenting voices, the illegal arrest of opposition leaders and autocratic crackdowns,' she said.

Context and Broader Implications

This is not the first time BRS leaders have alleged targeted police action in areas where senior Congress figures are present. The incident in Parigi fits a pattern the opposition has repeatedly flagged — restrictions on movement imposed under the cover of a ruling party leader's official visit. This comes amid already tense relations between the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) in Telangana and the BRS, which governed the state for a decade before losing power in the December 2023 Assembly elections.

The state government had not issued an official response to the detention allegations at the time of this report. How authorities justify the action — and whether Narender Reddy was released — will be closely watched by opposition parties across Telangana.