Kakinada Mayor Pavani could not get single vote in no-confidence motion

KAKINADA: None of the Telugu Desam corporators supported the party’s Kakinada Mayor Sunkara Pavani in the voting on the no-confidence motion moved against her on Tuesday. She had been elected on behalf of the TD in 2017. The result has been withheld due to a court case filed by the mayor in relation to the goings-on in the Kakinada Municipal Corporation.

In the voting, marred by play of rebel TD corporators and others, deputy mayor Kala Bhima Sankara Subrahmanyeswara Sathibabu (TD) got 10 TD votes in his support.

Some 36 corporators and ex-officio members voted in favour of the no-confidence motion.

All the YSRC and rebel Telugu Desam corporators raised their hands in support of the motion against Mayor Pavani. The 10 TD corporators remained neutral vis a vis their support to Pavani; and, curiously, the mayor herself did not raise her hand in her favour.

Though the Telugu Desam issued a whip in favour of Pavani, both rebel TD and TD corporators defied the whip and did not back Pavani.

Agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu, Kakinada MP Vanga Gita and Kakinada MLA Chandrasekhara Reddy attended the meeting as ex-officio members and raised their hands in favour of the no-confidence motion.

Joint collector Lakshmisha, as the presiding officer, conducted the no-confidence motion meeting and said 33 corporators have moved the motion against Pavani and Sathibabu; and, as advised by district collector Hari Kiran, he conducted the meeting. However, he did not announce the result due to the court-related restraints.

Mayor Pavani approached the court regarding the motion and a hearing is scheduled for October 22.

In the no-confidence motion, 46 corporators including three ex officio members attended the meeting.

There were in all 48 corporators for KMC, out of which three corporators died and one corporator resigned. Though 32 corporators won on behalf of the TD, 21 TD corporators have turned rebels and worked against Pavani.

Later, Pavani told the media that a conspiracy was hatched against her by Kakinada MLA Chandrasekhara Reddy. The TD had taken up many development programmes in the city during its terms. But after the YSRC came to power in the state, the MLA could not get funds for development of the city.

Thanking former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and TD president Achannaidu for their support to her, Pavani said that the rebel TD corporators issue would be brought to the notice of Naidu and the party high command. She also said she did not deem it fit to raise her hand in her own favour. She said she voted for deputy mayor Sathibabu.

Pavani expressed confidence she would get justice in the court.

Chandraskekhara Reddy told the media that it was collective efforts and collective win for the corporators of KMC, when it carried the no-confidence motion. “The mayor could not get a single vote in her favour, though she held the post for four years. That itself showed the extent of dissatisfaction prevailing among the corporators of all parties.”

Minister Kannababu said the no-confidence motion was not prompted by the YSRC. Corporators moved the motion on their own.

Telugu Desam corporators Sunitha and Vommi Balakameswara Alias Balaji told the media that they did not consider Pavani as the TD Mayor. “During the past two and a half years, she always acted in favour of the YSRC. She did not take us into confidence. Even in getting whip from TD high command, she could get it, but not for deputy mayor Sathibabu who is also a TD corporator. Later, TD corporators could get the party whip in favour of Sathibabu.”