Telugu Desam Party Uravakonda MLA Payyavula Keshav on Monday alleged that the YSR Congress Party which had come to power four months ago, instead of promoting development, was inciting factionism in Anantapur district and trying to forcibly and illegally divide a panchayat.
At a press conference here, he said based on a letter written by former YSRCP MLA from Uravakonda Y. Visveswara Reddy, the BC Welfare Minister M. Sankara Narayana had asked the District Collector and the DPO to write to the government and hold a public hearing (Grama Sabha) proposing division of Peddakowkuntla major panchayat.
“Mr. Visveswara Reddy was unable to digest the fact that this panchayat alone had given TDP 4,000 votes majority, and the former MLA in the name of development was hell bent on dividing the panchat against the wishes of the people here,” Mr. Keshav said and questioned as to what development had he done as MLA in his own village.
Mr. Keshav that said there was no factionism in 20 villages in the panchayat, but the YSRCP leader was surreptitiously promoting factionism and inciting differences among people.
As per the G.O. 287 and 298 of June 22, 2013 division of Gram Panchayats and merger with others was banned and these were in force even today, hence it is illegal, he argued.
Even the public hearing was called with just three days of notice and at the meeting only 50-odd people supported it against more than 1,500 persons opposing it, he said and alleged that a majority of those supporting were recently-appointed village volunteers.
