Hyderabad: In a brazen defiance of Chief Minister and TRS supremo K. Chandrashekar Rao’s wise counselling and instructions asking all newly elected leaders to the GHMC, including the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and corporators to maintain composure and “not indulge in unnecessary talk”, the newly elected Mayor of Hyderabad Gadwal Vijaylaxmi, began her tenure with a controversy.
Despite CM Rao’s instruction to keep a low profile, remain modest and work sincerely, Mayor Vijaylaxmi, who has been giving non-stop TV and media interviews after assuming charge, landed in a soup when she said that she would pray to God that there should be no rains for coming five years. And that is for starters. She then jumped into the mouth of another controversy by transferring Shaikpet MRO.
But her “no rain for a lustrum” comment has stunned every strata of society and citizens across the city, and state, are furious with her. Her first statement, and action, has also stunned party leaders and other corportors.
Almost as if he had a premonition, Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao had patiently explained the do’s and don’ts like a good mentor to all those elected to the GHMC from the ruling party. He had said, “you should act with patience, maintain composure and be simple. There should not be any change in your attire, language or behaviour. If you indulge in unnecessary talk, you will land in trouble. Speak carefully. Don’t discriminate against people who come to you on the basis of caste or religion. Comfort and take care of them. Give them due respect. Listen to them patiently. Help them as much as possible. Don’t tell lies. Make a committed effort to solve the problems.”
Oblivious to his wise words, the Mayor, during a TV interview, when quizzed about the preparedness of GHMC to fight floods, said that she was praying to God that there should be no rains in Hyderabad for at least five years.
Her statement went viral in no time and raised eyebrows.
Reacting on her remarks, Bandaru Srivani, corporator of Ramantapur representing the BJP, said, “she might be a resident of a posh area like Banjara Hills or Jubilee Hills and might have sufficient water stored in her residence to make such a wish. No human being can control nature. The Covid-19 pandemic is a proof of it. Wish she understood it is not by stopping rains but by stopping and removing land encroachments on lakes and parks and clearing nalas that we can be better prepared for floods.”
“I pray and wish Mayor Gadwal Vijaylaxmi’s irresponsible wish would never come true. How will our city survive without rains for the next five years? Did she want a drought for all of us? Does she want our farmers and people to suffer?” said Chetana Kakkireni, Husbiguda corporator, who represents the BJP.
“A Mayor making a wish for no rains exposes the helplessness of the current government. And her state of mind too,” said M. Rajitha, Uppal Corporator, who is representing Congress. She said instead of widening nalas by removing encroachments, developing good sewers and storm water network, how can a mayor wish for no rainfall in her tenure.
“How will farmers and citizens in the city and rest of the state survive if there is no rainfall?” she added.
The citizens of Hyderabad took to Twitter and other social media networks to express their anguish, shock and anger.
Vishnu, a citizen through his Twitter handle, tweeted: “Is it “the plan” for GHMC? Pray that it doesn't rain?? What a joker you all have selected for Mayor. What next? Pray that people sleep until the next elections?” (sic).
“As soon as she won the mayoral seat, she started vendetta politics. Shaikpet Tahsildar shaken with transfer orders,” tweeted BJP leader Gajjala Yoganand.
“She is only taking charge now and has to tread cautiously instead of grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons. It helps to maintain a low profile till you prove yourself,” advised Mr Manohar Ar, a resident of Banjara Hills.
However, later on Tuesday, Mayor Vijayalaxmi, “clarified” that she had only wished for no floods in the city but not rainfall.
The city Mayor also said that she “did not influence any leader or bureaucrat” pertaining to the transfer of Shaikpet MRO. It was a routine transfer by the revenue department, she added.
