Differences in TDP lead to putting off of civic chief poll

Election can now be held only after three months

Differences between the Telugu Desam Party leaders led to repeat of unruly scenes in the Proddatur municipal chairman’s election for the second consecutive day on Sunday, leading to postponement of the election.

The election was put off on Saturday after the TDP member broke the chairs and tables, pelted stones at police vehicles and snatched away the minutes book leading to lathicharge. It witnessed another round of ransacking of furniture, altercation with the police and lathicharge on Sunday.

Former MLA Nandyala Varadarajulu Reddy was bent on getting his brother-in-law and councillor Asam Raghurami Reddy elected as chairman. But his arch rival, former MLA and A.P. Civil Supplies Corporation chairman Mallela Linga Reddy was firm on getting former chairman V.S. Mukthiar, who quit the YSR Congress and joined the TDP last year, elected to the post with the support of the YSRC. He had the support of Rajya Sabha member C.M. Ramesh and Marketing Minister C. Adinarayana Reddy, An altercation ensued when the TDP members and the police tried to prevent Mr. Varadarajulu’s group from entering the council meeting hall and the police resorting to caning. The irate TDP members broke chairs and tables in the hall. In the melee, Jammalamadugu RDO and election officer R. Vinayakam announced postponement of the election citing breach of law and order. He said the matter would be referred to the Election Commission. As election was postponed for two consecutive days, it could be held only after three months after the Election Commission issues a fresh notification, according to officials.

On a complaint lodged by Proddatur Municipal Commissioner Venkatasiva Reddy, the One Town police registered a case against vice-chairman Zabiullah and councillor Ganesh Babu on charge of ransacking furniture in the meeting hall and against councillor Talari Pullaiah for snatching away the minutes book from the election officer’s table. Mr. Venkatasiva Reddy said he forwarded complaints to the Election Commission, Director of Municipal Administration, District Collector K.V. Satyanarayana and P.H.D. Ramakrishna, SP, stating that some pages in the minutes book had been torn.