Verbal spat between TDP, YSRCP

Vijayawada: The election for the chairman’s post in the Municipal Council of Jaggayyapet in Krishna district was postponed to Saturday amid high political drama and verbal spat between the ruling Telugu Desam Party and Opposition YSR Congress. Tension prevailed for some time in the town when the two groups deployed their activists led by MP Kesineni Nani from Telugu Desam and former MLA Samineni Udayabhanu at the municipal office on Friday.

The leaders of Telugu Desam alleged that their two councillors were abducted by the YSR Congress Party members. The war of words between the TDP and the Opposition forced the election officials to postpone the election to Saturday. As per the schedule, the officials decided to conduct the election for chairman’s post on Saturday only.

As many as 27 elected councillors and two other co-opted members are in the municipal council. The Opposition YSR Congress has a strength of 16 members while the ruling Telugu Desam Party are having 10 elected members. But one independent and two co-opted members supported the Telugu Desam Party. Two councillors belonging to YSR Congress were ready to extend support to the ruling party. If they support the TDP, it would capture the council chairman’s post. Following the developments, the YSR Congress shifted them to the underground.

In this backdrop, the ruckus began after the ruling party leaders took strong objection when the YSR Congress had abducted their supporters. MP Kesineni Srinivas questioned the election officials as to how they could conduct elections when their councillors were not allowed to participate in voting.

Both the leaders of their respective parties reached the council’s office while tension prevailed for some time when they levelled allegations against each other. A scooter was gutted when miscreants set it on fire. Following the incidents, the police were forced to postpone the election to bring the situation under control.