The long simmering rift between a group of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) corporators of Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Mayor G. Papa Lal also of the ruling party reached a boiling point with the former contemplating to move a no-confidence motion against the latter to oust him from the coveted post around 20 months ahead of his full term.
The internal dissensions broke into the open when as many as 37 TRS corporators held a ‘secret’ meeting here on Thursday to chalk out a strategy to go ahead with their move to table a no-confidence motion against Mr Papa Lal charging him with taking ‘unilateral decisions’ concerning development activities in their divisions keeping them in the dark.
However, Mr. Papa Lal vehemently denied the charges terming them as “baseless.” His loyalists blamed a section of the corporators for spearheading what they called a “misinformation campaign” against him for strictly functioning in adherence to the rules in force.
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Mr. Papa Lal joined the TRS a couple of months after his retirement as the District Coordinator of Health Services (DCHS) in 2016. He was unanimously elected as the first Mayor of the KMC, the post reserved for ST (General) in March 2016.
In the 50 member KMC, the TRS has 43 members, the Congress three and the Left parties two each members. As many as 37 of the total 43 TRS corporators have reportedly resolved to move a no-confidence motion against Mr. Papa Lal in a few days.
The aggrieved corporators are harping on the provisions of The Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019, passed by the Telangana Legislature a few days ago to proceed ahead with their move to oust the present incumbent at the helm of affairs of the KMC.
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But the loyalists of Mr. Papa Lal insist that no-confidence motion cannot be moved against the latter at this point of time as he was elected in accordance to the provisions of the previous Act as per which such a move is allowed only after completion of four years of the total five-year term.
Sources said that last ditch efforts by some influential leaders of the ruling party are underway to iron out the differences and overcome the internal dissensions.
“We have decided to meet Khammam MLA P Ajay Kumar and convey our feelings to him before approaching the designated authorities concerned to convene a general body meeting for taking up no-confidence motion,” said an aggrieved TRS corporator, who did not wish to be identified.
As per the new Municipal Act, no confidence motion can be tabled against the Mayor who recently completed three year term, he maintained.