Anantapur:Major developmental works that municipal corporations and municipalities in the Rayalaseema region have planned have got hit by the bickering between members of the ruling Telugu Desam and opposition YSRC parties.

In fact, most of the mayors of corporations and municipalities, including Kadapa, Anantapur, Kurnool and Tirupati are from YSRC, while MLAs and MPs of the areas are from the ruling TDP. As elected representatives from the region, they are ex-officio members of the municipalities and corporations.

This has resulted in the civic body meetings scheduled to discuss development works ending up in a ruckus, with both parties resisting each other’s proposals. The ruling party members are trying to claim credit for the proposals, while the opposition parties too are trying to do so or are suggesting amendments within the works.

Egos are also responsible for stalling of works or in smooth holding of the meetings.

For example, there have been serious differences for the past one year within the Kadapa Municipal Corporation (KMC) between mayor Suresh Babu of YSRC and Kadapa MLA R. Madhavi. The MLA wants a place on the dais in the KMC meetings, but the mayor is resisting, saying it is against convention. The council meetings are thus ending up in a ruckus.

Significantly, Suresh Babu had been disqualified a few weeks ago based on allegations of securing contract works given out by the corporation in the name of his family members. However, he got a stay from the AP High Court and is continuing to function as the mayor. The officials in the corporation including the commissioner are receiving flak from both the ruling and opposition party members.

Mayor Suresh has issued notices to the municipal commissioner and other officials for not attending meetings in his chambers. The officials are, however, present in the conference hall of the corporation, where the MLA and others are present.

A similar situation exists in the Anantapur Municipal Corporation. Anantapur Urban MLA D. Prasad has been targeting city mayor Md. Wasim and former MLA Ananta Venkatrami Reddy of YSRC over large-scale misuse of funds in several schemes, including the dumping yard.

AMC meetings are noisy, as the majority of the members are the YSRC corporators. MLA Prasad makes it a point to accuse the mayor of being involved in irregularities and being an impediment in implementation of developmental activities in the city.

Meanwhile, former Anantapur Urban MLA Venkatrami Reddy asserts no irregularities have taken place. He is accusing incumbent Prasad of trying to disrupt the ongoing development works.