Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

Will change of guard in GMC be smooth?

GUNTUR: In another six months, Rayapati Mohan Sai Krishna, the Guntur Mayor-in-waiting, is expected to ascend the throne. But, there are several ifs and buts, which the incumbent himself expresses.

As per an agreement between several groups within the Congress during the 2005 municipal elections, it was resolved to share the Mayor’s post between Kanna Nagaraju and Mr. Sai Krishna for two and a half years each. Similar was the agreement reached for the Deputy Mayor post between Tadisetty Murali and Sheik Ghouse.

In March 2008, the baton should be handed over to the next set of persons. But, many see red in this regard. The followers of Mr. Nagaraju point out that Mr. Sai Krishna has not been keeping touch with the proceedings of the GMC. “He did not attend many council meetings, which only shows his lack of interest,” they say. This view is vehemently countered by Mr. Sai Krishna.

He told The Hindu that he had several developmental proposals ready for the city and that he was not satisfied with the efforts of the current council in bringing funds for projects to the city despite the Congress being the power both at the Centre and the State. “We need to cash in on the generosity of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who is ready to sanction any proper proposal put before him. We have Jaipal Reddy from Andhra Pradesh at the helm of affairs in the Ministry of Urban Development in New Delhi, whose good offices could have been used in a better way,” he opined.

“The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation has been going great guns in getting funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM),” he said.

However, insiders close to the Kanna family believe that Guntur would not witness an episode similar to the one in Karnataka as Transport Minister Kanna Lakshmi Narayana was a person who always stuck to his word.

The possibility of a mid-term election was a cause for concern as many believe that the equations in the GMC could then change.

Chances of a new candidate emerging in March was also not ruled out. Voting to choose a new Mayor was also being looked as an option.

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