‘Frustrated’ Narsipatnam Municipal Councillor hits himself with slipper in Council meeting

A Councillor of Narsipatnam Municipality in Anakapalli district hit himself with a slipper during the Council meeting on Monday apparently out of frustration at not being able to convince the government and the officials to take up the civic issues pertaining to his ward, drawing public attention

A Councillor of Narsipatnam Municipality in Anakapalli district hit himself with a slipper during the Council meeting on Monday apparently out of frustration at not being able to convince the government and the officials to take up the civic issues pertaining to his ward, drawing public attention.

Mulaparthi Ramaraju, the Councillor of Ward No. 20 of Lingapuram village and an autorickshaw driver by profession, has endeared himself to the people of his locality by helping them in various ways, including transporting pregnant women free of cost in his autorickshaw. He won on the TDP ticket in the municipal elections.

“I have not joined politics to make money. My only desire is to serve the people of my ward by alleviating their problems. I thought I could solve their basic needs like drinking water, a road to the village and street lights. The people of my ward are all day workers and I know their problems as I am also one among them making ₹300 a day as an auto driver. They are only seeking basic amenities and I have not been able to fulfil them as a Councillor for the past 30 months,” he lamented, in a conversation with The Hindu on Monday evening.

“I had given several representations to the previous Municipal Chairman, the Municipal Commissioner and other officials but none acted on my complaint. They are doing this as I belong to the TDP. I am yet to submit a representation to the new Chairperson who has taken over recently, and I don’t think it will be of any use,” he said dejectedly.

“I had even raised donations from philanthropists to the tune of ₹1.5 lakh and got a small stretch of 150 m road laid for the benefit of the villagers during the rainy season. I am not bothered about political parties. I only want the civic problems of my ward to be solved,” he said.