Bribery allegations surface against Minister Vivek over Kyathanpalli municipality power bid

Labour Minister G. Vivek allegedly offered Rs. 3 crore each to three BRS councillors to gain control of Kyathanpalli municipality following a Congress setback. The councillors rejected the offer, remaining loyal to the BRS-CPI alliance, sources claimed.

Mancherial: In a desperate move to secure power in Kyathanpalli municipality, Labour Minister G Vivek is allegedly attempting to poach three BRS councillors by offering a bribe of Rs.3 crore each. A post making these allegations went viral on social media platforms on Friday.

According to the post, Vivek, who suffered a setback in the 20-member Kyathanpalli municipality with the Congress winning just seven wards, was making attempts to capture power in the civic body by hook or crook. He was learnt to have offered Rs.3 crore each to three councillors to gain control of the Kyathanpalli civic body.

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Vivek is alleged to have intensified his efforts following the arrest of BRS district president Balka Suman on Wednesday. He is said to be unable to accept the victory of the BRS-CPI alliance in Kyathanpalli municipality, located in the Chennur Assembly constituency. He is accused of approaching family members of the councillors and luring them with bribes and promises of developmental projects.

However, sources said the councillors turned down Vivek’s alleged offer and were determined to stand firm with the BRS-CPI alliance. “A councillor from the Congress persuaded Vivek to poach the councillors as he eyed the chairperson post,” a source disclosed. Vivek was already facing sharp criticism from Congress leaders and the public for losing Kyathanpalli to the alliance, which won 14 wards, and for allegedly using his influence in Suman’s arrest.

While emerging from the meeting on Wednesday, BRS-CPI councillors Mittapalli Saritha, Swarnalatha, Shashi and Bhumanna alleged that Vivek attempted to attract them to the Congress during a special meeting held in Kyathanpalli by promising to develop the municipality. They claimed that supporters of Vivek even promised them blank cheques if they joined the Congress and helped the party capture the civic body.