VIJAYAWADA: Heated arguments ensued between the VMC corporators of Telugu Desam and YSRC over replacing portraits of former chief ministers Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu with that of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the Council Hall, without any intimation to Mayor Koneru Sreedhar.
During the final council meeting held here on Saturday, TDP corporators objected to the move and denounced the alleged indifferent attitude towards them. “Even though YSRC has formed the government in the State, how can the officials replace the portraits of the former chief ministers with that of Jagan Mohan Reddy without any intimation to me as I am still occupying the chair,” Mayor Sreedhar rued.
Intervening into the matter, YSRC floor leader in the council, B Punyaseela asked the Mayor to keep the portrait of former chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy (YSR) if they wished to keep those of NTR and Chandrababu Naidu. YSRC corporators J Purnamma, Sk Be Janbe and K Damodar rushed to the Mayor’s podium demanding that he keep the portraits of NTR and YSR as a mark of honour. To this, Sreedhar asked the officials why they didn’t place the portrait of YSR in the Council Hall as he was chief minister from 2004 2009, when Congress ruled the council.
With the situation going out of his control, the Mayor adjourned the session for 50 minutes. After the corporators left the hall, Sreedhar directed the officials to put up NTR’s portrait. After the resumption of the session, YSRC corporator Damodar urged the Mayor to respect YSR and keep his portrait alongside NTR.
Responding to Damodar’s demand, the Mayor said he was not against placing of YSR’s portrait in the hall and claimed that officials had replaced the portraits of NTR and Chandrababu Naidu. He asked chief engineer in-charge JV Rama Krishna to tender an apology for taking such decision without any priority notice to him.
The Mayor directed the officials to place the portraits of YSR and Chandrababu, along with CM Jagan by July 1. After being convinced by the Mayor’s assurance, the YSRC corporators occupied their chairs.