NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and party candidate from Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, Tatiparthi Jeevan Reddy, found himself embroiled in a controversy following an incident where he slapped a woman after she allegedly expressed her intention to vote for the ‘flower’ symbol in the upcoming May 13 election.
A video capturing the former minister’s action during a campaign was circulated widely on social media on Friday.
A video capturing the former minister’s action during a campaign was circulated widely on social media on Friday.
The woman was identified as a worker under the rural employment guarantee scheme.
The incident unfolded in a village in the Armur Assembly segment, where the Congress candidate was campaigning alongside other leaders.
The woman, who had previously voted for the Congress in recent Assembly elections, voiced her dissatisfaction, citing the absence of pension benefits. Vinay Kumar Reddy, who had lost the Assembly election from Armur, was reportedly accompanying the Congress candidate during the incident.
Armur is one of the seven Assembly segments within the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat. For the forthcoming election, the Congress has fielded Reddy against the incumbent MP, Dharmapuri Arvind of the BJP.
(With agency inputs)