Heated exchanges disrupt ZP meeting

Kurnool: The Zilla Parishad (ZP) general body meeting held here at ZP meeting hall on Saturday amidst chaos. The meeting which is aimed to discuss and resolve the problems in the district was disrupted with the exchange of words between Kothapalli ZPTC member Purushotam Reddy and the Kurnool District Co-operative Commercial (KDCC) Bank chairman Mallikarjuna Reddy.

Purushotam Reddy stated that huge scam was taken place in the sanction of loans to sprinklers to the farmers at Kothapalli society and alleged Mallikarjuna Reddy’s hand in the scam. He also said that he will prove the irregularities and if failed to prove, he will resign to his post. He challenged Mallikarjuna Reddy if he is ready to resign to his post if charges are proved. 

Reacting strongly to the accusations, Mallikarjuna Reddy referred YSRCP president YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s name and alleged that a company of Jagan was involved behind the irregularities, and a complaint was lodged with the police to probe the irregularities. He further said, KDCC Bank never sanctions direct loans and it sanctions loans to the societies. The bank doesn’t hold responsibility for the irregularities at the society level. The bank has given only crop loans, he said and accepted the challenge thrown by Purushotam Reddy to resign the post if his involvement is proved in the irregularities. It is to be noted that both Kothapalli ZPTC member Purushotam Reddy and KDCC Bank Chairman Mallikarjuna Reddy earlier defected to the TDP from YSRCP. 

Meanwhile, the YSRCP MLCs Gangula Prabhakar Reddy and Vennapusa Gopal Reddy, MLA Gouru Charita Reddy and other ZPTCs barged towards podium demanding apology from Mallikarjuna Reddy for raising the name of YS Jaganmohan Reddy. They demanded withdrawal of allegations made against Jagan. They also staged protest before the podium which affected the conduct of meeting. District Collector S Satyanarayana, intervening in the issue, asked the KDCC Bank CEO to disclose the status of case details before the members. The CEO, in reply, said legal notices were served to the persons involved in the irregularities. 

Based on the replies, action would be taken, he said. ZP Chairman Mallela Rajasekhar Reddy assured the YSRCP members that the name of Jaganmohan Reddy would be deleted from the minutes of the meeting. With the assurance, the YSRCP leaders called off their agitation and the meeting continued as usual. The general body meeting concluded with two resolutions, sanctioning of funds for the construction of Gundrevula Reservoir and transferring of administrative powers to Kurnool Chief Engineer from Anantapur Chief Engineer pertaining to Mucchumarri Lift Irrigation Scheme. MLC KE Prabhakar, MLA Mani Gandhi, ZPTCs and MPPs were present in the general body meeting.