JSP Salur chairperson accuses Minister of supporting independent candidate

Salur new municipal chairperson Gorle Vijaya Kumari addressing the media conference in Salur of Parvatipuram-Manyam district on Wednesday.

A war of words erupted between Jana Sena Party’s newly elected Chairperson of Salur Gorle Vijaya Kumari and the supporters of Minister for Tribal Welfare Gummadi Sandhya Rani after former accused the Minister of supporting independent candidate Gulla Manjeera and violating the alliance guidelines during the recently concluded local body polls.

Despite JSP being part of the alliance parties, Ms. Kumari alleged that the Minister Rani had backed Ms. Manjeera, who got 6,143 votes, resulting in the loss of JSP Councillors in three wards of the seven wards they contested in. She also claimed that all the independent candidates were allotted same symbol – “cupboard”, causing a lot of confusion in voters.

In the Municipal elections in Salur conducted on November 1, Mr. Kumari polled 9,686 votes, while her nearest rival and YSRCP candidate Ribka Rani got 9,390 votes.

JSP Salur Coordinator Gorle Tirupati Naidu asserted that the violation of “alliance dharma” would be brought to the notice of JSP high command in a couple of days.

Questioning the logic behind allocation of ‘cupboard’ symbol to all independent candidates, Mr. Naidu alleged that “it [independent candidates] was an unofficial panel created to defeat JSP”.

Meanwhile, supporters of the Minister refuted the allegations and said that JSP candidates were defeated in the absence of a dedicated network at ground level.

Meanwhile, for the deputy chairperson’s post YSRCP won 13 wards, while TDP got 11 seats in Salur elections.

JSP won four and independents got elected in three places. A BJP candidate was elected in one ward. Former Deputy Chief Minister and YSRCP senior leader Peedika Rajanna Dora hoped that their party would win the deputy chairperson’s post as it is the single largest party in the council.