Balayya’s PA invites public wrath

Hindupuram (Anantapur): The VIP Assembly constituency of Hindupuram, which shot to national fame with the contest of high profile film actor and founder president of Telugu Desam Party Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao for the Assembly segment is now in the eye of the storm, thanks to the personal assistant Sekhar Naidu of the present MLA and NTR’s son Nandamuri Balakrishna, for his alleged notoriety in acting as de-facto MLA and collecting bribes and commissions from beneficiaries of government schemes.

Rebellion is brewing against the MLA’s PA Sekhar Naidu from among the rank and file of the party.

Many people who dared to question his dictatorial attitude and larger than life role had been suspended from the party. The leaders and party workers are baffled at the party's reaction considering the miniscule stature of the MLA’s PA.

The leaders and party workers opposing Sekhar Naidu, who are claiming to be loyal party workers and followers of the MLA Balakrishna as well as TDP president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, are at a loss to understand why the party bosses are sacrificing the party's interests just to protect one person, who reportedly hails from Rangampeta mandal in Chittoor district.

A few days back a section of the local party leaders and workers, including some MPTC and ZPTC members, held an in-camera meeting to discuss the increasing corrupt activities of Sekhar and his dictatorial functioning.

They decided to take the issue to the party high command. Lepakshi ex-mandal president Mallikarjuna, Chilamattur mandal president Chakrapani and another party leader Brahmananda Reddy were among those who were suspended by the party for their rebellion against Sekhar Naidu.

Now another public meeting is being planned by ex-MLA of Hindupuram C C Venkatrama Reddy who was twice MLA and Ambica Lakshminarayana, a local TDP leader at Chilamattur village on February 5 in Hindupuram constituency to exert pressure on MLA Balakrishna and the high command to sack Sekhar and restore the party's image.
Already five MPTCS, four sarpanches and one ZPTC member resigned from the party protesting the attitude of Sekhar.

Ex-MLA Venkatramudu and Ambica Lakshminarayana told The Hans India that due to the notoriety of an extra-constitutional authority called Sekhar, party's image is nose diving to an all time low.

Sparing none he, the leaders maintained, is even collecting mamools from registrar offices and commercial tax check-posts, etc. While the MLA has a clean image, this is being eroded by his own personal assistant, they said.

Meanwhile, BC Corporation chairman P Ranganayakulu, an MLA loyalist, told 'The Hans India' that MLA Balayya had telephoned to him to convey to the agitated party workers and some leaders that none should hold meetings of any kind on any issue but should wait for him to come and sort out any grievance or grouse, if any, against anyone.

Balayya assured to meet the aggrieved persons and, if removal of his personal assistant Sekhar is an issue, they should come up with concrete proof in support of their allegations and until his visit to the constituency, none should hold any meetings on their own.

Meanwhile, MPP Nausiya Bhanu and Ansar, State vice-president of Chandra Dandu along with 300 party workers took out a rally in the town on Thursday in support of Sekhar Naidu.

Of course, there is a general discontentment among the party rank and file on MLA Balayya, whom they still hold dear, for not frequently visiting the constituency and not being available to them. But the constituency was mostly nurtured by NT Rama Rao, Harikrishna and now Balakrishna..

A farmer Obuleshu of Hindupur rural, who also is an admirer of Balayya, feels that the MLA should succeed in bringing Handri-Neeva water to Hindupuram constituency as that would be a great service to the farmers and the people.

He regretted that Gollapalle reservoir water was supplied to Madanapalle and Madakasira but not to their constituency.

Rama Naidu, a trader in Hindupuram town says that Praja Durbar should be conducted frequently at least once in a couple of months to solve the grievances.

A party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the 'The Hans India' that their VVIP MLA could do a lot on industrial front if only he applied his mind on inviting industrialists to his constituency as it is in close proximity with the Benguluru airport.

NTR despite his busy schedule as a chief minister did remarkable work during his tenure, he said and added that Balayya should take the clue from his late father.