Anam’s remarks against Ponguru triggers dissent

Minister for Endowments Anam Ramanarayana Reddy’s speech at the inauguration of renovated VR Municipal Corporation High School building in Nellore stirred a hornet’s nest on Monday.

The internal squabble between Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy and Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Ponguru Narayana came out in the open for the first time. Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy’s remarks were made in the presence of TDP General Secretary and Minister for Education Nara Lokesh.

It may be recalled that the 150-year-old school, built by the Venkatagiri Rajah, was managed for nearly five decades by a board controlled by the Anam family, until a few years back due to a legal tangle.

Bewildered over the change in the school’s name, Mr. Reddy in his speech said, “Just because the MA&UD Minister volunteered to develop the school, it does not deserve to be called as Municipal Corporation High School. It is very much Venkatagiri Rajah school, as has been known for the last 150 years. I suggest removal of the corporation’s name from the board.”

Accusing Mr. Narayana of trying to ‘take over’ the VR High School, Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy asked him to take up renovation of scores of government schools that required attention.