The CPI(M) on Thursday (July 3, 2026) condemned the arrest of trade union leader Ch. Chandrasekhar in Kodur of Tirupati district, alleging that the police had detained him to prevent protests ahead of the visit of the Chief Minister and a Union Minister.

In a statement, party State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao said Mr. Chandrasekhar had been taken into custody and was being held at the Chitvel police station. He demanded the immediate release of the trade union leader, and called the arrest illegal and undemocratic.

According to him, agricultural labour organisations had planned to protest during the Union Minister’s visit, to oppose the Centre’s proposed new employment guarantee scheme. Instead of addressing public concerns over the scheme, the authorities had chosen to suppress democratic protests, he alleged.

The CPI(M) leader said the proposed employment programme would hurt rural communities, and urged the government to withdraw it. He repeated the party’s demand that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act be retained, arguing that it had given key livelihood support to the rural poor.