YSR Congress party MLA from Chandragiri constituency Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy’s over-enthusiasm to attract women voters in the run-up to the forthcoming assembly elections landed him in soup.
A couple of days ago, hundreds of women working in Velugu Sangha Mitra groups (self-help groups) in Chandragiri constituency were shocked when they received Rs 2,000 each in their individual bank accounts.
When they enquired with their bank authorities, they came to know that the money was transferred from the account of Chevireddy Lakshmi, wife of MLA Bhaskar Reddy.
The issue had gone to the notice of the higher authorities, who started making inquiries into the same.
According to the preliminary inquiry, the money was first transferred into Lakshmi’s account from Chevireddy’s account and from there into the accounts of the Velugu members.
The authorities wondered how the account numbers of the Velugu women members had been disclosed to Chevireddy. Apparently, he got it from the bank authorities. They told the women that they would be getting Rs 2,000 each every month till the next elections.
Though some of the women were quite happy about it, they soon realised that the issue is taking a serious turn as they came to know that the government might order an inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The womenfolk held a dharna in front of the banks demanding that the money be immediately returned to Chevireddy’s wife account.
“We have not asked any money from her or her husband. Why should they pay Rs 2,000 each to us? This is nothing but bribing us for out votes to the MLA in the next elections,” a woman complained.
Lakshmi, however, defended her move.
“Some women came to me and complained that the government was not extending any financial help to the Velugu women groups. So, I thought of helping them on humanitarian grounds. How can it be called a corrupt activity?” she asked.