Kadapa Municipal Corporation meeting turns ugly

Kadapa witnessed a stormy municipal corporation meeting as a confrontation between Mayor Suresh Babu and MLA Madhavi Reddy spiralled into chaos. The clash was triggered by the absence of a chair on stage for MLA Madhavi Reddy

Metro India News | amaravati

Kadapa witnessed a stormy municipal corporation meeting as a confrontation between Mayor Suresh Babu and MLA Madhavi Reddy spiralled into chaos. The clash was triggered by the absence of a chair on stage for MLA Madhavi Reddy, who immediately objected, citing protocol followed under the previous government. She criticized the omission, asserting that she would remain standing until her rightful seat was arranged.

Tensions escalated further when TDP corporators, rallying behind the MLA, protested near the Mayor's podium, shouting slogans. The session soon descended into disorder, with corporators from the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) engaging in a heated exchange that turned physical. Despite the commotion, Mayor Suresh Babu pressed ahead with the meeting, even as YSRCP and TDP members confronted each other on either side of his chair.

The unrest deepened as TDP corporators staged a sit-in, demanding an apology from the Mayor for what they deemed a deliberate act of disrespect. YSRCP corporators countered with their own demonstration, urging TDP members to withdraw their demands. Amid the uproar, Mayor Suresh Babu suspended seven corporators who had recently switched allegiance from YSRCP to TDP, further fueling the tensions.

MLA Madhavi Reddy later lashed out at the Mayor, accusing him of deliberately disrespecting her as a woman leader. “This is yet another example of YSRCP's disregard for women. The Mayor deliberately forced me to stand to appease his party leadership,” she alleged. She also criticized the Mayor's use of discretionary powers, calling his actions arbitrary and irresponsible.

Madhavi Reddy further alleged that YSRCP was deliberately avoiding discussions on alleged corruption within municipal activities, attributing the unrest to a lack of transparency.

The escalating tensions prompted the police to impose Section 144 around the municipal corporation office, seeking to control the situation as protests from both sides threatened to spiral out of control. The incident has underscored deepening political rivalries and sparked debate over protocol and respect in municipal governance.