Refusal of gunmen by MLA Ravi Kumar creates flutter

Srikakulam : Denial of gunman security by the TDP Amadalavalasa MLA Kuna Ravi Kumar has created flutter in political circles in Srikakulam district. After elected as MLA, he expected Cabinet berth as he belongs to Kalinga community which is a major vote bank in the district. But he was not accommodated in Cabinet, which irked Kalinga community people. He was elected as MLA first time in 2014 on TDP ticket and appointed as government whip at that time. He served as party president for Srikakulam district from 2014 to 2019 and protected party cadre by standing up to YSRCP’s anarchy.

MLA Ravi Kumar, his followers and Kalinga community leaders were upset over the decision of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in not allotting Cabinet berth. Kalinga community people are also opposing allotment of Union and state minister posts to a single family i.e. Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and Kinjarapu Atchannaidu.

Atchannaidu is younger brother of late Central minister K Yerrannaidu and Rammohan Naidu is son of Yerrannaidu who belong to Polinati Velama community, which is third largest voter chunk in the district after Kalinga and Turpu Kapu communities.

After denial of Cabinet berth to Ravi Kumar, Union minister for civil aviation Rammohan Naidu tried to pacify him at his residence in Vijayawada earlier. At that time, Ravi Kumar was reportedly offered AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) chairman post. But later it was stalled and Ravi Kumar reached to Amadalavalasa on June 23 and received a grand welcome from NDA leaders and Kalinga community people from Visakhapatnam airport to Amadalavalasa. On Thursday, he refused personal security to him and asked the superintendent of police (SP), Srikakulam, to withdraw the gunman security to him and he left for Vijayawada.