VIJAYAWADA: The observation by Kankipadu Congress MLA Devineni Rajasekhar (Nehru) that an "efficient leader like Tadi Sakuntala should continue in the post of city mayor at least for three years" stirred the proverbial hornet's nest in the Congress on Tuesday.

Mr. Nehru, who shared the dais with the Mayor at a small function in the 28th division on Monday, said in a public meeting that one year of time was not enough for anybody to accomplish any task. Ms. Sakuntala was an efficient leader and that she should have at least three years of time to complete a few development works, he said and went a step ahead to say that he would take up the issue with the Congress leadership.

Ms. Sakuntala, who was elected to the general body of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) from the seventh division on CPI ticket, became the mayor as part of an adjustment between the Congress and the CPI. Mr. Nehru's observations must have been surely music to her ears. She also quickly responded endorsing the statement of the legislator.

It was agreed that Ms. Sakuntala would serve as the mayor for one year and the remaining period of four years would be shared by the Congress and the CPI on a 3:1 ratio. Though Anne Prasanna, Congress corporator from the fourth division, enjoys the blessings of Mr. Nehru, she cannot enlist the support of the other groups within the Congress.

Precisely for this reason, Mr. Nehru extended his support to the candidacy of M.V.R.Bindu, Congress corporator from 21st division, when the Congress initially thought of having its mayor elected. This was seen as a surreptitious move by Mr. Nehru, for Ms. Bindu was the choice of Vijayawada East legislator Vangaveeti Radhakrishna. The two legislators, who are arch rivals, joined hands to scuttle the move of local MP L. Rajagopal who wanted to pit a Muslim corporator for the mayor's post.

The suggestion that Ms. Sakuntala be given three years of time is being perceived as a "premature and unwarranted" action by Mr. Nehru, according to a senior Congress functionary in the city. Having won 29 out of the 59 seats in the general body of the VMC, the Congress cannot afford to leave the coveted post to its ally for three years.

Another senior leader of the Congress felt that it could be a `calculated move' by Mr. Nehru, if not a `casual word of appreciation' to Ms. Sakuntala.

Gearing up

Rivals of the legislator are, however, gearing up to complain against Mr. Nehru to the party's State leadership.

They dub his remark as a `desperate attempt' to gain an upper hand in the city party unit, for he doesn't have a candidate of his choice for the mayoral slot when the post comes to the Congress on a platter towards the end of next year.

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