Two factions of the Telangana Congress resorted to blows on Monday near Krishna theatre in Hyderabad's LB Nagar on the party's 131st foundation day.

The two factions, one from Ranga Reddy district and the other from Hyderabad, clashed in the open, and the police had to resort to a lathicharge to disperse the crowd.

According to a report in the Times of India:

Trouble began when city Congress president Danam Nagender, along with his followers, reached the venue to unfurl the party flag, but the flag was already hoisted by Ranga Reddy district party leader Bandari Lakshma Reddy. Lakshma Reddy alleged that Danam and his followers brought down the flag he had hoisted and tried to hoist another party flag. Lakshma Reddy's followers allegedly shoved away Nagender and those who accompanied him.The RR Congress leaders also shouted slogans asking Nagender to restrict himself to party affairs in Hyderabad and not interfere in RR district unit affairs. Things soon went out of control with eggs and tomatoes being thrown at Nagender and his followers and the two sides came to blows.

The incident comes ahead of the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections in Hyderabad and hints at a clear riff inside the party's state unit.

After the incident, both the groups lodged separate complaints against each other and Uppal police registered two cases against members of both the groups under section 324 of the IPC, the TOI report added.