Daggers drawn between NDA, YSRCP corporators during VMC council meet

The general council meeting of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) held on Wednesday (December 10) was marred by noisy protests and arguments between the NDA and YSRCP corporators, who were arguing over two issues like privatization of medical colleges and naming the ‘kalyana mandapam’ after a freedom fighter.

K. Malleswari, YSRCP corporator of ward 27, had suggested that the ward’s ‘kalyana mandapam’ be named after freedom fighter Chityala Ilamma. He said that the hall was named after the leader before, but the name board was removed by a few local leaders. While the proposal was approved by the council, VMC Commissioner Dhyanachandra HM said the matter was pending with the government.

Questions were then raised as to why the government’s permission was needed when the council approved naming the hall after the leader. This led to a war of words between YSRCP and NDA corporators; the former described the latter as an anti-BC party. NDA leaders emphasized that they were not against naming the venue after the leader but found a mistake in Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi’s manner of speaking. They felt that the Mayor was instigating YSRCP corporators.

The slogan creation continued for a long time until the Mayor asked the Commissioner to ensure that the name board was ready by Thursday.

Soon the two parties argued over the privatization of ten medical colleges in the state. The proposal, which said Public Private Partnership (PPP) should be stopped and the State government should have complete control over universities, was filed under Section 88K of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955.

YSRCP corporators said the government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is anti-poor and is depriving students belonging to economically weaker sections of the right to free education by privatizing the sector.

Reacting to this, TDP executives stated that the issue was not related to city affairs and that the issue should be discussed in the Parliament. As slogans of ‘Jai Jagan’ and ‘TDP collapse’ flew in the air, TDP corporators jumped from their seats and smashed the proposals.

Women corporators of TDP and YSRCP had heated arguments with each other at the Council meeting in Vijayawada on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: GN RAO

They also claimed that their microphones were cut off. TDP corporator C. Usha Rani took the microphone from YSRCP corporator saying it was not fair and this led to controversy among women corporators. During the scuffle, the Mayor looked helpless as companies threw papers and shouted at each other.

The confusion continued until YSRCP leaders walked out of the meeting. To talk Hindu Later Ms. Usha Rani said that only very urgent matters were brought under Section 88 (K) of the 1955 Act. “They presented this proposal in the middle of the meeting. Is this a city issue? Why should issues that concern the state be discussed at the council meeting?” he asked.

Two of the 11 questions and all 177 agenda items were discussed at the council meeting. Other issues brought up for discussion included the quality of drinking water, delay in the process of handing over houses to the poor and fewer Mahaprasthanam vehicles.