Fact Check: Viral video shows two TDP councillors fighting, not TDP and JSP workers

The claim comes after Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, despite being an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), extended support to former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who the AP CID arrested on September 9. The TDP chief is accused of allegedly misappropriating funds from the AP Skill Development Corporation, which reportedly resulted in a loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

Facebook users have shared the video with the caption, “TDP Vs JSP leaders.” Click here and here to view the reels.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the video shows two TDP councillors, Gummadi Ramesh and Pasupuleti Trimurthulu, fighting in 2016.

Upon a reverse image search of the video’s keyframe, we found the video on X, posted by the news agency ANI on February 29, 2016.

“Clash between 2 councillors of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Tenali municipality of Guntur Distt (Andhra Pradesh).” read the caption.

We also found a video report of the fight published by NDTV on March 1, 2016, titled ‘TDP councillors in street fight at meeting, clothes torn.’

“Two councillors of Andhra Pradesh’s ruling TDP punched each other and tore at their clothes at a civic body meeting on Monday. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu disciplinary action against them after the footage went viral on social media,” read the video’s description.

According to the Indian Express, TDP councillors Gummadi Ramesh and Pasupuleti Trimurthulu had argued over the minutes of the meeting, which ended in a fierce exchange of abuses and punches.

Hence, we conclude that viral does not show TDP and JSP leaders fighting and is not recent. The claim is misleading.