The Hindu 01.10.2009
Gritton becomes Deputy Mayor
Staff Reporter
| Telugu Desam Party wrests Jaggayyapeta |
Gritton vows to solve outfall drain problem
Focus on completion of JNNURM works
VIJAYAWADA: Siripurapu Phillip Gritton, the 18th division corporator, was unanimously elected Deputy Mayor at the election held here on Wednesday, while TDP councillor Sriram Subba Rao was elected Chairman of the Jaggayyapeta Municipality in another election held there.
The TDP won the Jaggayyapeta election without any problem by securing 13 votes, while Congress candidate M. Venkatachalam polled only seven votes. The post of Chairman of the Jaggayyapeta Municipality fell vacant following the resignation of Sriram Rajagopal (Tataiah) on his election as MLA. Mr. Tataiah, who defected to the TDP from the Congress, took along with him 12 councillors of his own group.
Special meet
The election to the Deputy Mayor’s post as well as the oath-taking ceremony of newly-elected Congress corporator Y. Srinivasa Rao that preceded it, were conducted in a very brief special meeting of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) general body.
As soon as Mayor M. V. Ratna Bindu administered oath to Mr. Srinivasa Rao, Joint Collector B. Ramaiah, who was authorised by the District Collector to conduct the election, went through the process methodically. Former Deputy Mayor Samanthapudi Narasaraju proposed the name of Mr. Gritton, while Congress corporator Pilli Lakshmi Tulasi seconded the proposal. As there were no contestants, Mr. Gritton was declared elected unopposed.
Mr. Gritton, speaking to the reporters, said that he would strive to solve the outfall drain problem of One Town. He also resolved to lay emphasis on completion of works taken up under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) programme in the city.
Mr. Gritton was given the party mandate for the Deputy Mayor’s post in accordance with a “gentlemen’s agreement” reached when Mr. Narasaraju was made the Deputy Mayor last year. Mr. Gritton was promised the post by former Minister for Municipal Administration Koneru Ranga Rao and leaders of the different groups in the party when he staked a strong claim for the post on behalf of the SCs.
