BRS-CPI alliance wins Kyathanpalli chairperson, vice-chairperson

The BRS–CPI alliance secured the chairperson and vice-chairperson posts of Kyathanpalli municipality in Mancherial district. BRS councillor Sandhya Rani was elected chairperson and CPI councillor Saritha vice-chairperson, ending a nearly two-month delay in the election process.

Mancherial: Despite hurdles created by the Congress, the BRS-CPI alliance captured the posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson of Kyathanpalli municipality. A special meeting was held to conduct elections to the two posts on Saturday.

The BRS councilor Godishela Sandhya Rani was elected as the chairperson of 22-member Kyathanpalli municipality, while CPI councilor Mittapalli Saritha was elected as vice-chairperson with the alliance having an absolute majority with 14 councilors. The election process began at 11 am and ended at noon amid tight security made by deploying 600 policemen at junctions and near the civic body.

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The Congress tried to bag the posts with the help of its seven councilors, an independent, the labor Minister Dr G Vivek and Peddapalli MP G Vamshi Krishna, who enrolled as an ex-officio member. However, they stayed away from the election as it was clear that they would not be able to capture the posts. This has led to smooth conduct of the process ending nearly a two-month long suspension over election.

Earlier, the election of the governing council was postponed twice resulting in a suspension, drawing the attention of many. The process was initially postponed due to lack of quorum on February 17. It was again postponed when councilors of the Congress assaulted the BRS-CPI councilors at the time of the meeting. The State Election Commission issued an order to conduct the elections on Saturday, when the BRS leaders approached the High Court.

The councilors were shifted to a camp organized by the BRS district president Balka Suman. The Congress made all out efforts to emerge victorious in the elections even though it had seven councilors. It reportedly tried to lure councilors from the BRS-CPI alliance by offering developmental projects. It then allegedly used police to register cases against leaders of the BRS.

On February 18, Suman and 13 others including former Zilla Parishad vice-chairperson Mula Reddy from Chennur town was arrested and were sent to jail in Adilabad town for allegedly for unlawful assembly, rioting and obstructing the duties of a sub-inspector amidst strong resistance from party’s cadres. He was released from jail on bail on March 4.