Mayor Mallika assaulted

Vijayawada, Feb 5 (UNI) The opposition TDP and CPM corporators of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation(VMC) today assaulted Mayor Mallika Begum protesting against the proposed implementation of water meters in the city.

After a marathon three-hour discussion on the issue, Ms Begum announced the lunch break and was about to leave for her chamber. In the meantime, the opposition TDP floor leader Ramana and CPM corporators, including women rushed to the podium of the Mayor and pulled her chair by holding her hand firm.

The Congress corporators who were stunned by the assault came to her rescue.

Strongly condemning the assualt by the opposition parties, she left for her chamber with tears in her eyes.

Thereafter, it was free-for-all among the corporators in the council hall as they traded charges against each other over the issue.

Strongly condemning the assault, the Congress corporators along with Ms Begum and the Congress city unit President Pyala Somi Naidu began a dharna near a statue of Gandhi in front of the VMC demanding an apology from the opposition parties.

The opposition parties, however, continued their protest before the podium.

Women corporators of TDP and CPM held talks with Ms Begum and appealed to her to call off the dharna. However, the Mayor asserted that she was firm in her stand that all the opposition parties should tender an apology to her as it was an insult to the Mayor's post.

UNI