Andhra Pradesh: VMC council meet cut short amidst opposition protests

TDP floor leader suspended, removed by marshals

Protests marked the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation council's general body meeting held at the VMC office premises on Tuesday. The council meeting concluded at around 2 p.m., well before the scheduled closing time, and all the proposals made were addressed at once, the opposition parties alleged.

CPI(M) floor leader staged a protest in the council hall alleging that all the 397 proposals on the council agenda were addressed at once in the absence of the members of the opposition parties. He said no time was given to the corporators to discuss the agenda.

Earlier, Telugu Desam Party floor leader N. Balaswamy and three other corporators were suspended and removed from the council hall by marshals after the former demanded an apology from former Minister and West MLA Velampalli Srinivasa Rao who allegedly made derogatory comments against former Chief Minister and TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu.

TDP corporators later shouted ‘Badude Badudu’ slogans accusing the State government of burdening the public with various taxes and charges. The members also used percussion instruments during their protest.

Mr. Balaswamy demanded that the YSRCP governing body allow reporters into the council hall. During the last meeting, Mayor R. Bhagyalakshmi assured that she would allow the media from the next meeting but did not keep her promise, Mr. Balaswamy said to reporters.

While the tax on garbage collection from residential properties is being opposed, the VMC is proposing to impose the same on commercial establishments and shops as well, he said.

The corporators staged a protest demanding the withdrawal of garbage tax, and roll back the hike in property tax and water tax, and hike in APSRTC ticket prices and electricity charges.