Date:27/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042755590600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Dharmavaram tense over faction row

B. Chandrashekhar

ANANTAPUR: Tension has gripped Dharmavaram constituency following the simmering political battle between two ruling party factions for supremacy with people guessing about the possible turn of events on Sunday, when Minister for Panchayat Raj J.C. Diwakar Reddy is slated to inaugurate the new municipality building.

In fact, the very issue of inauguration of the new civic body building has put the two factions at loggerheads leading to resignation of 10 councillors out of the 40-member body on April 23. The 10 councillors, hailing from different parties but owing allegiance to the Sureedu group led by K. Venkatarami Reddy, reportedly met Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in Hyderabad on Saturday, representing their point of view on the issue.

Reports denied

Mr. Diwakar Reddy was also learnt to have met the Chief Minister on the issue on Friday night and reportedly complained against the approach of the Venkatarami Reddy group.

The Minister, however, denied reports of his resignation over the issue.

Of the councillors who put in their papers, six belong to Congress and one each of TDP, BJP, and CPI (M) and an independent.

The Congress was led by Mr. Diwakar Reddy in the municipal elections in the town in 2005 and the party could manage to win the chairperson’s post with the support of two BJP, two CPI (M) and two independent councillors. One independent supported TDP and a BJP member remained neutral.

However, after the killing of former Dharmavaram legislator K. Suryapratap Reddy in Tadipatri on April 18, 2006 his son K. Venkatarami Reddy was made in-charge of the Congress party for the constituency. He was allegedly killed by Mr. Diwakar Reddy’s followers.

Sources in the Sureedu group stated that Mr. Diwakar Reddy had agreed for an unwritten agreement before the Chief Minister before Mr. Venkatarami Reddy was made in-charge of Dharmavaram that the former would not interfere in the party affairs in Dharmavaram constituency and the latter would follow the same in Tadipatri. However, differences between the factions started cropping up immediately as municipal chairperson K. Harinath belong to the Diwakar Reddy group.

The issue of inauguration of the new building brought the two sides to a flash point, as the Venkatarami Reddy group was allegedly against the opening by Mr. Diwakar Reddy.

When contacted about their meeting with the Chief Minister, Mr. Venkatarami Reddy told The Hindu that “the Chief Minister has assured us of taking care of the issue.”