HYDERABAD: Maganti Mahananda Kumari, the mother of late MLA Maganti Gopinath, on Thursday alleged that BRS working president KT Rama Rao and the pink party’s candidate for the Jubilee Hills seat Maganti Sunitha had made her son’s death a “mystery”. She said that Rama Rao “should answer for this”.
It may be mentioned here that following Gopinath’s death on June 6, Sunitha had requested the deputy collector and tahsildar of Serilingampally to issue a family certificate. Based on her request, the tahsildar issued a notice inviting claims or objections. As none were received, a family certificate was issued in Sunitha’s favour on July 4.
Subsequently, Gopinath’s mother filed a complaint against Sunitha, levelling allegations and seeking cancellation of the certificate. The Rajendranagar RDO conducted an inquiry, set aside the earlier certificate, and directed the tahsildar to hold a fresh inquiry.
As part of the proceedings, Mahananda Kumari appeared before the tahsildar on Thursday. Speaking to reporters later, she said, “They did not allow me or Gopinath’s brother to see him when he was in hospital. Even when I asked KTR, he refused to let me see my son. The hospital was instructed not to inform us about his health.”
Sunitha’s claim ‘illegal’, says son of Gopinath’s first wife
Maganti Tarak, who claimed to be Gopinath’s son from his first marriage, alleged that Sunitha’s claim of being the “real wife” was “illegal and baseless”. He said, “We have all the evidence, including wedding photos and witnesses.
These people are denying my mother’s existence. A political leader even threatened us not to attend my father’s funeral. We have already lodged a complaint with Cyberabad police.”
Meanwhile, pro-Congress social media accounts circulated a letter, purportedly written by Sunitha, to the security in-charge of AIG Hospital where Gopinath was under treatment.
The letter reportedly instructed staff not to allow Mahananda Kumari, Gopinath’s brother Vajranath, his sister-in-law Indhumathi, and nieces Anusha and Ashitha to visit him. This claim has further fuelled the controversy.
Meanwhile, BRS spokesperson Manne Krishank said that three days before the poll campaign ends, “Congress media is making Maganti Gopinath’s mother and brother speak against his wife and BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha”.
“Cheapest tactics by Sonia Gandhi ji’s party against a woman candidate in Jubilee Hills bypoll,” he posted on X.