Gulte News
Mounting property tax arrears in Nellore revealed the cold war between Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and municipal minister P. Narayana, also based in Nellore.
With the property tax dues piling up to more than Rs 100 crore, Narayana directed the officials to collect them and spare none, even if the defaulters were the most influential persons.
Accordingly, the officials began staging dharnas at the defaulters’ houses, cutting power and drinking water supply to them.
Irked over this treatment to the public, Kotamreddy expressed his resentment over the orders stating that many of the residents in his constituency were poor and hence, should not be pressurized to pay the property tax before deadline. He said that he had no objection if Narayana collected tax dues from the wealthy in Nellore urban constituency, represented by the minister.
At the same time, he said that he had no objection in the strict directions relating to the collecting of the tax if it was implemented with the same spirit across all municipalities in the state.
But if it is implemented only in Nellore, it will be considered as Narayana Act, then the Rural MLA said he would not remain silent.
The cold war between the minister and the MLA is putting the Corporation officials in a fix, making them unable to follow the orders from either of the public representatives.
Kotamreddy made it clear that he would stand for the cause of the poor but not the stinking rich.
The silent storm between the duo seems to have gone to the notice of the TDP senior leaders.
However, no action has been initiated to resolve the issue so far.
It has to be seen how the party bigwigs would try to bridge the gap between the minister and MLA.
