Former TDP councillor Vaikuntapu Harshavardhan married Gulla Manjeera on Tuesday at a local temple in Salur. This wedding started intense political buzz because the municipal chairperson post was reserved for a backward classes woman just hours earlier. Many now think the move was a calculated step to help his wife.
PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: Wedding of a couple in Salur municipality has sparked intense political buzz after reservations for municipal chairperson posts were announced. Former TDP councillor Vaikuntapu Harshavardhan tied the knot with his partner, Gulla Manjeera, on Tuesday at the local Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, a few hours after the Salur municipal chairperson post was reserved for a backward classes (BC) woman.
Harshavardhan was one of the aspirants for the Saluru municipal chairperson post, and his wife Manjeera has now become the top contender for the post after the reservations were announced for the civic body polls.
Local observers note that the wedding took place shortly after the civic body's top post was earmarked for a BC woman, prompting speculation about whether the move was politically calculated to field his newlywed wife for the post.
Salur is a municipality on the Andhra-Odisha border, with a population of 50,000 and 12,500 households. There are 32 wards in the municipality.
Harshavardhan represented Ward 19 as a TDP councillor and belongs to the Koppala Velama community. He enjoys the backing of local Salur MLA and state minister Gummadi Sandhyarani.