Rajahmundry: As a major embarrassment to the ruling Telugu Desam-BJP combine in Andhra Pradesh, the parties’ own MPs and MLAs staged a dharna at Eluru in West Godavari on Tuesday demanding that traditional cockfights be allowed on the eve of Sankranti.

Eluru MP (TD) Mr Maganti Venkateswara Rao, Rajahmundry MP (TD) Mr Maganti Murali Mohan, Narasapuram MP (BJP) Mr Gokaraju Gangaraju and several Telugu Desam legislators squatted in front of the Zilla Parishad meeting hall and criticised the police for cracking down on cock-fights.

Earlier, the three MPs, along with ZP chairman Mr Mullapudi Bapiraju, MLAs Mr Vetukuri Sivarama Raju, Mr Ganni Veeranjaneyulu, Mr Muppidi Venkateswara Rao, Mr Bandaru Madhava Naidu, Mr Nimmala Ramanaidu and others had arrived at the Zilla Parishad meeting hall to take part in a scheduled meeting.