Khammam: Puvvada Vasantha Laxmi, wife of transport minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar will not be in the race for the Khammam mayor post.
The minister said here on Monday that she was not interested in politics. “Being a follower of the Brahmakumari ideology, she is following a different path,” he said and added that she will not contest the polls in any KMC division.
He said the people of Khammam are intelligent and they will vote for the TRS. “Development of Khammam is fast-paced and spread over to all four sides. The people know about this and the projects that were executed in the town had become a topic of discussion among the citizens.”
Lawyer Vasantha Laxmi quietly filed her nominations for the 20th ward two days ago. She did so without any fanfare. There was no rally and no procession. As such, the statement of the minister on his wife’s contest surprised TRS leaders in Khammam. It is recalled that Khammam Mayor post was reserved for general women and the TRS leadership had promised to give the post to a Kamma.
Meanwhile, the programmes for the minister’s birthday celebrations organised by Khammam Poura Seva Samithi led by TRS leader P Prasad were cancelled after a word from Ajay on Monday. Ajay Kumar may have felt embarrassed. The minister called Jeswanth, TRS corporator in the 21st division and discussed the matter. The division was reserved for the general women category.
Jeswanth's wife Laxmi Prasanthi filed her nominations in the same division. The minister asked her to file her nomination instead from the 20th division. Sources said Vasantha Laxmi will withdraw her nomination from the same ward on April 22.
Alla Sirisha, TRS corporator who lost her division in the reservation re-allotment, was asked to file her nominations from the 21st division. All these happened at the final moment on April 18, the last date for filing of nominations.
The followers of former MP P. Srinivasa Reddy, Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao and former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao were not given tickets in the corporation polls. Sources said these leaders were irritated over the attitude of Ajay Kumar.
An issue had arisen before state minister K.T. Rama Rao which resulted in the swift turn of events in Khammam. In another incident, the followers of Ponguleti tore the flexi of Ajay Kumar’s birthday celebrations at the MLA camp office in Wyra, over an issue of not carrying his photo in it.
