Internal squabbles in the ruling YSR Congress in Nellore district have come to the fore once again on Saturday. Former minister and Nellore urban sitting MLA, P Anil Kumar Yadav, is facing stiff opposition from his own uncle and Nellore Municipal Corporation deputy mayor Rupa Kumar Yadav.

Both Anil Kumar and Rupa Kumar have locked horns months ago and their fight is open and is known to everyone, including party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy. The chief minister himself had intervened and tried unsuccessfully to bring the warring groups together. He tried to cement the relationship between the two leaders in vain.

The difference between the sitting MLA Anil Kumar and the deputy mayor came to the flash point on Friday with some unidentified persons attacking a supporter of the deputy mayor. The deputy mayor visited the injured party activist in the government general hospital and consoled the family.

Later, he alleged that the attack was the handiwork of sitting MLA Anil Kumar. He further alleged that Anil Kumar’s men have attacked his supporter and injured him. “If I start retaliation, no one will be able to take it,” the angry deputy mayor told the media.

He said that the sitting MLA was behind the attack and warned the MLA and his supporters of a fitting reply. “Stop this nonsense or else, I will start giving you back,” the deputy mayor said, giving a tough warning to his nephew and former minister Anil Kumar Yadav.

It is to be seen how the party would handle this situation in Nellore and elsewhere in the state. There are at least 20 MLAs who are facing such dissent from their own party leaders across the state.