HYDERABAD: In a dramatic development, Jagtial municipal chairperson Boga Shravani of BRS on Wednesday resigned from her post alleging with tears that local ruling party MLA Sanjay Kumar has harassed and forced her to resign.
Significantly, over the past few days, majority of BRS councillors have turned against Shravani demanding her resignation, saying she is taking unilateral decisions and bringing a bad name to the party.
There are 48 wards in Jagtial municipality, with 38 belonging to BRS, six to Congress, three to BJP and one is independent.
Of the 38 BRS councillors, 27 under the leadership of vice chairperson Goli Srinivas have submitted a signed representation to local MLA Sanjay Kumar opposing continuance of Shravani as chairperson, alleging that she is taking unilateral decisions regarding development works and subsequently blaming councillors for her failure. They said because of her attitude, eight municipal councillors had changed in the municipality.
The councillors informed the MLA that if the party does not remove Shravani from the chairperson’s post, they will move a no-confidence motion in the municipal council against her.
As per Municipal Act 2019, a no-confidence motion by municipal councillors can be moved once the chairperson completes at least three years of tenure. Bhoga Shravani will be completing her three years as chairperson of Jagtial municipality on January 27.
After submitting her resignation, a weeping Shravani told media persons that MLA Sanjay Kumar has stage-managed the threat of moving no-confidence motion against her, as she has been questioning the irregularities committed by the legislator.
“The MLA demanded money from me for continuing in the chairperson’s post. He also did not allow me to take up any developmental works in Jagtial municipality. Sanjay Kumar has even insulted me over my dressing,” Shravani remarked. She maintained that the current municipal commissioner has gone on leave as Sanjay Kumar had threatened to get him suspended.
She expressed thanks to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, ministers K.T. Rama Rao and Koppula Eshwar, and MLCs K. Kavitha and L. Ramana for supporting her.
