In Rangareddy, there are reports of disagreements among the councillors of Manikonda municipality. The Ranga Reddy District Congress Committee has suspended one of its members, Bitlu Padma Rao, for going against the party. Challa Narasimha Reddy, the DCC president, issued the suspension letter.
Recently, the Manikonda municipal chairman, Kasturi Narendra, faced a no-confidence motion from 10 council members. Along with BJP and BRS councillors, a Congress member, Padma Rao, supported the motion to remove Kasturi from his position. This led to the DCC taking disciplinary action against Rao, including issuing a show-cause notice and eventually suspending him.
Challa confirmed the suspension, stating it was done in the party’s best interest. He explained that evidence like documents signed by Padma Rao supporting the no-confidence motion led to his suspension for anti-party activities. The no-confidence motion against Kasturi was initiated by 12 out of 20 council members in January.
Rao claimed he was unaware of the suspension, despite receiving a show-cause notice earlier. He accused Kasturi of wrongdoing and criticized his leadership style. Rao also alleged that Kasturi was influenced by a local legislator and engaged in threatening tactics during the no-confidence motion process.
The rift between Chairman Kasturi and Rao has widened due to the recent developments. While Kasturi survived the no-confidence motion, political observers believe Rao’s suspension could further weaken his position as the party leader and head of the municipal council in Manikonda.
