The State government on Thursday issued GO RT NO. 279 notifying the merger of 10 gram panchayats with the Guntur Municipal Corporation.
The 10 panchayats included in the GMC are: Nallapadu (full), Pedapalakaluru (full), Ankireddypalem (remaining part), Adavitakkelapadu (full), Gorantla (full), Potturu (full), Chowdavaram (full), Etukuru (remaining part), Budampadu (remaining part), and Reddypalem (full).
The Municipal Administration and Urban Development issued a GO.
Special officers
Interestingly, three of the 10 gram panchayats have been partially included with the GMC. Earlier, the GMC had sent proposals to merge 15 panchayats.
Following the issuance of the GO, Municipal Commissioner K. Sudhakar appointed special officers to the panchayats and asked them to submit a report on fixed assets in the villages.
The proposals for merger have evoked different reactions from parties. The two groups in the Congress, led by Minister for Agriculture Kanna Lakshminarayana and MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao have expressed different opinions.
Minister for Rural Development Dokka Manikya Varaprasada Rao suggested that Perecharla should be included, but his suggestion was not taken into consideration.
Kapu vote bank
At least, 5 out of 10 panchayats have a strong vote bank of Kapus, a factor the ruling Congress was hoping to take advantage of in the ensuing local polls.
But on the flip side, some gram panchayats have expressed their apprehension in the past citing increase in taxes. The Telugu Desam, meanwhile, has opposed the merger on the grounds that the proposals have been made with an intention of drawing political mileage.
Party official spokesperson Mannava Subba Rao said the proposals could not accepted as they failed to consider surrounding villages.
YSR Congress Party has said that it would oppose the proposal tooth and nail.
