Date:11/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/11/stories/2008111159830300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Congress eyes Bheemunipatnam municipal chairpersonship

Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Telugu Desam rebel Councillors of Bheemunipatnam received a shock when the Congress, with the support of which it could unseat their own party’s Chairperson Koppula Prabhavathi through a no-confidence motion on Monday, indicated that it would make a try for the Chairpersonship.

TDP has a strength of 17 in the 28-member Council with the rest belonging to the Congress. Ten of them, headed by Gadu China Kumari Lakshmi sought the no-confidence motion against Ms. Prabhavathi with the support of the 10 Congress Councillors. Local MLA Karri Sitaramu, also of the Congress as an ex-officio member, also voted in favour of the no-confidence motion.

Rebels in a fix

Ms. Prabhavathi is supported by three Councillors while two other TDP Councillors Ch. Padmavathi Naidu and N. Viswanatha Raju stayed neutral. All of them did not attend the special session according to a whip issued by the party not to attend.

The 10 rebel Councillors who had gone to the extent of avoiding accepting the party’s whip, seem to be in a quandary as Mr. Sitaramu after the no-confidence motion was passed told reporters that the Congress would like to have the Chairperson’s post.

TDP Floor Leader Chilaka Narasinga Rao expressed his dismay when asked to comment on Mr. Sitaramu’s statement. “They assured us support (for the no-confidence motion). What can we do if they decide to have the Chairperson’s post?” he said.

While Vice-Chairperson Akramani Nirmala, who is also among the rebels, would officiate as Chairperson till election to the Chairperson post is held some time later, it has to be seen how the Congress will grab the post, one of the very few the TDP has won in the State-wide elections held during September 2005.

There is also a rumour that Ms. Prabhavathi has approached the Congress leaders during the last few days in a bid to save her post. This situation might also help the Congress to snatch the post from the Telugu Desam.