Nellore: Nellore MP Mekpati Rajamohan Reddy and his son Mekapati Goutham Reddy, legislator of Atmakur, are up in arms against the ruling party leaders and officials of the district over protocol violations in Atmakur Assembly segment. The MP and MLA are upset with the officials for pushing their names to the bottom and prominent display of the name of TD in-charge and former finance minister for Atmakur, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on the top of plaques pertaining to development works installed in the recent past in various parts of the constituency. Interestingly, the names of the concerned minister apart minister from district P. Narayana and district in-charge minister Sidda Raghava Rao are also missing on the plaques contrary to the protocol norms, alleges Mr Goutham Reddy.
What irks the YSRC leaders is that inauguration of some development programmes has been taking place without inviting them. Mr Goutham Reddy alleged that the central lighting system in Atmakur municipality was inaugurated in a hurry by MLC Vakati Narayana Reddy and TD in-charge Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on December 25 last year without any prior information.
Moreover only 30 per cent of the work was completed. Civic body commissioner and the chairperson were also away from the town when the function took place, he added.
Mr Gautam Reddy said the names of APIIC Chairman Dr P. Krishnaiah and Anam Ramnarayana Reddy are top on the plaque in bold letters but his name, his father's name and ZP Chairman Raghavendra Reddy names were in small letters. He said he already brought the issue to the notice of the district collector and will also raise it in the assembly. Hinting that Opposition legislators have no role to play in the present regime, a revenue officer said the TD government has already released a GO giving priority to constituency in-charges in deciding the allotment of funds for development works but there is no change with respect to protocol norms yet.
Speaking to this newspaper, MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy said he informed about the violations to District Revenue Officer Ms Krishna Bharati and she assured to probe and take action against those responsible for the lapses. Incidentally protocol violations are a common feature in the district especially during Congress regime. It used to be a practice for Congress rulers at the helm of affairs to prevail upon officials to skip the names of those against them on the plaques even if they are in same party in the past.
For instance Mr Rajamohan Reddy name was not mentioned on the plaque of Jalapushpa Bhavan (Fish market complex) opened in 2011 though he was representing Nellore Lok Sabha allegedly because he was backing Jagan Mohan Reddy then. Though the privileges committee of Lok Sabha was ready to take action on a senior officer responsible for the lapse, Mr Rajamohan Reddy had bailed him out after the official explained about pressure from ruling party bigwigs. Sources said top brass of district asked their division level subordinates to serve notices and seek explanation from field level officials concerned for protocol lapses late on Saturday evening.
