KHAMMAM: Elections to the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) has widened the internal gap among leaders of the ruling TRS. Senior leaders of the party and their followers are displeased with Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar’s selection of candidates, accusing him of running a one-man show.
Followers of former MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, current MP Nama Nageswara Rao and former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao alleged the Ajay Kumar is not giving importance to other leaders. There are four groups in the TRS and every group has tried their best to get selected as candidates in 60 divisions, the followers said. A follower of Ponguleti said the former MP has worked hard during all the recent elections, irrespective of groups, but the Minister deliberately did not give priority to Ponguleti’s followers in the KMC elections.
Sources said that even Nama Nageswar is not happy with the Minister’s attitude. The MP had recommended some of his followers for contesting in the KMC elections but Ajay Kumar had outright rejected them. A follower of senior party leader Tummala Nageswara said, “It has become a one-man show. The Minister is not giving any importance to other leaders in the candidate selection.”
Rumours of wife running for mayor untrue: Puvvada
Dismissing rumours about his wife being selected as the pink party’s mayoral candidate in KMC, Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar said on Monday that his spouse Vasantha Laxmi did not even file nomination to contest for the elections.
Asserting that it would be party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who will take a call on the mayoral candidate, the Minister pointed out that all other rumours are baseless.Later in the day, Ajay Kumar launched the pink party’s election campaign at Srinivasanagar in Khammam. Speaking on the occasion, he advised the Opposition parties to do away with the political mud-sludging and focus on debates based on development. He also highlighted the developmental and welfare programmes implemented by the TRS in Khammam. Ajay Kumar also requested the citizens to elect them with a thumping majority.
Launching the grand old party’s election campaign in Khammam, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka alleged that the State government has completely failed to ensure welfare of people, and the TRS has failed to keep its poll promises. Bhatti Vikramarka said that Ajay Kumar joined the pink party to protect his businesses and not to serve the people.