Corporators of the TDP and YSRCP engaged in heated arguments during the Council meeting in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: G. N. RAO
The general council meeting of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Wednesday (December 10) was marred by noisy protests and arguments between NDA and YSRCP corporators, who sparred over the two issues of privatisation of medical colleges and naming of a ‘kalyana mandapam’ after a freedom fighter.
K. Malleswari, the YSRCP corporator of the 27th ward, had proposed that the name of a ‘kalyana mandapam’ in the ward be named after freedom fighter Chityala Ilamma. She said while the hall had been named after the leader before as well, the name board was removed by a few local leaders. While the proposal was approved by the council, VMC Commissioner Dhyanachandra H.M. said the matter is pending with the government.
On this, questions were raised as to why the permission of the government was required when the council approved the naming of the hall after the leader. This led to a war of words between YSRCP and NDA corporators, with the former calling the latter an anti-BC party. The NDA leaders stressed that they were not against the naming of the venue after the leader, but found a fault with Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi’s way of speaking. They felt the Mayor was egging YSRCP corporators on.
Sloganeering continued for a long time, until the Mayor asked the Commissioner to ensure that the name board is in place by Thursday.
Soon after, the two parties sparred over the issue of privatisation of ten medical colleges in the State. The proposal, which said the Public Private Partnership (PPP) should be discontinued and that the State government should take full control over the colleges, was introduced under the Section-88K of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act-1955.
The YSRCP corporators said the government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, is anti-poor and is depriving students, belonging to economically weaker sections, of their right to free education by privatising the sector.
Reacting to this, the TDP corporators said the issue does not pertain to the city affairs, and added that it should be taken up for a discussion on the floor of the Assembly. As the slogans ‘Jai Jagan’ and ‘TDP down down’ rented the air, the TDP corporators stormed out of their seats and tore the proposals to pieces.
Women corporators of the TDP and YSRCP engaged in heated arguments each other during the Council meeting in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
G. N. RAO
They also alleged that their mics were cut off. Calling it unfair, a TDP corporator, C. Usha Rani, took away the mic from a YSRCP corporator, which led to a scuffle among the women corporators. During the melee, the Mayor looked helpless as the corporators flung papers and shouted at each other.
The confusion continued until the YSRCP leaders staged a walk out from the meeting. Speaking to The Hindu later, Ms. Usha Rani said only issues of utmost urgency are introduced under the Section-88 (K) of the 1955 Act. “They introduced this proposal in the middle of the meeting. Is this a city issue? Why should matters pertaining to the State come up for discussion in a council meeting? she asked.
During the council meet, two of eleven questions and all of 177 agends were discussed. Other issues that came up for discussion were related to quality of drinking water, delay in the process of handing over of houses for the poor and fewer number of Mahaprasthanam vehicles, among others.
Published – December 11, 2025 12:52 am IST
