Vangalapudi Anitha, who is the Home Minister for the first time in AP, has finally removed her trusted Personal Assistant, who has been associated with her since more than a decade following severe corrupt allegations against him.
Her PA Sandhu Jagadish, who has become a topic of discussion more than his performance during the six-month coalition rule, became notorious with his corrupt activities. He has been with her for the last more than 10 years and she has been ignoring allegations of severe irregularities against him from the TDP circles.
His irregular activities became a hot topic for discussions not only within TDP circles, but also among official circles after she became high-profile Home Minister. She appointed him as her PA after electing as MLA from Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district in 2014. Though she was defeated in 2019 polls, she continued with him as she was politically active as state Telugu Mahila President.
After becoming Home Minister last year also, she has continued him as a PA. TDP circles alleged that he became popular with his extortion, threats, settlements and other such illegal activities after she became Home Minister. Even he went to the extent of threatening Anitha’s TDP followers, who held a meeting with him cautioning against such activities.
He became notorious with organizing poker camps in Payakaraopeta, pressuring excise officials for a share of the income generated by liquor shops, and selling Tirumala darshan tickets that came under the Home Minister’s quota to a hotel in Tirupati are some of the irregularities that are getting familiar in recent times.
Though several TDP activists cautioned Home Minister Anitha from time to time about his irregular activities that are hampering not only her image, but also the party’s image, she said to be ignoring and supporting him. This went to the level of believing that she also may have some share in his irregular activities.
Finally, party sources said that this went to the notice of TDP top leaders, who were unhappy with PA’s activities. After their warning, she was forced to remove Jagadish from her peshi.