Stars add glamour to cock fights

KAKINADA/ELURU: The much-awaited cockfights commenced in various places of the twin Godavari districts with the usual pomp and fanfare on Saturday.Congress MLAs and MLCs, YSR Congress leaders and TV anchors inaugurated the event which has become synonymous with Sankranti celebration in these parts of the state. Some film personalties also are learnt to have been present and savoured the cockfights. Many more VIPs, NRIs and top leaders are expected to come here.Cockfights are encouraged not for fun and entertainment alone. Huge bettings, running into `100 crore, take place especially in the Godavari districts. Special shamianas were erected and floodlights installed, apart from other facilities, at the venues.In East Godavari district cockfights were organised on a massive scale at Kesanakurru, Kesanakurrupalem, Muramalla, Godi, Uppalaguptam, Alla Varam, Mummidivaram and other places. Though no VIP participated in the event on the first day, organisers are making arrangements for MLAs, MPs and other bigwigs who are expected to arrive on Makara Sankranti (Sunday).In West Godavari district, Denduluru MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar kicked off the cockfights at his village Koppaka, Tanuku MLA Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao in Tanuku rural mandal, Narsapur MLA Mudunuri Prasad Raju in Yelamanchili, Polavaram MLA T Balraj in Duddukuru village. Meanwhile TV anchor Manjula inaugurated the cock fights in Srinivasapuram of Jangareddygudem. YSRCP district president Moshes Raju started cock fights at Asramam in Bhimavaram.Film actor Ahuti Prasad attended one such event organised at Vempa in West Godavari district while film producers C Kalyan and KSR Rao, MLC Narayana from Karimnagar, former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav from Hyderabad and many others graced the event at other places in the district.  Cockfights are in progress at Bhimavaram, Lingampalem, Nidadavolu, Unguturum Denduluru, Bhimavaram, Akiveedu, Mhadevapatnam, Poduru, Duggirala and many places on a large scale.Polavaram MLA Balaraju said cockfights are a tradition of Telugus and the event will be held for three days. “It is the only relief once in a year to us,’’ he said.Though deputy inspector-general of police (Eluru Range) GSP Rao, and East and West Godavari superintendents of police Trivikrama Varma and C Ravi Varma had warned the organisers of stern action, the cockfights kicked off without any hitch.The event has placed law-enforcers on the horns of a dilemma about their duty as top leaders of political parties, including the ruling party, are enjoying cockfights and lending encouragement to the organisers.