People in Telangana's Ghattupal celebrate as KCR announces separate mandal

NALGONDA: A long due relief arrives for the agitating residents of Ghattuppal and its surrounding villages after the State government officially announced Ghattuppal as a separate mandal on Sunday. Sweets exchanged hands and crackers were burst in celebration of their protests bearing fruit after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced new mandals on Sunday. 

The issue of a separate mandal raged severely in the recently concluded elections and also decided the fate of leaders contesting from the Munugode constituency. Outgoing MLA K Prabhakar Reddy, the residents alleged, had a major role to play in their grievances.

And so when Congress leader Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy promised a separate mandal if he is elected to power, the people supported him and he won from Munugode constituency in the recently concluded Assembly polls.  Two years ago when the districts were reorganised, Ghattuppal was declared a separate mandal within Nalgonda district. But soon after, another official notification cancelled the establishment of a separate Ghattuppal mandal.  

In retaliation, the residents formed what was known as ‘Ghattuppal Mandal Sadhana Samithi’ which spearheaded all the protests for a separate mandal. One protester, P Yadaiah, even tried to commit suicide on October 12, 2016.

The villagers alleged that after the official notification to have the Ghattuppal mandal under Nalgonda district, the then Munugode MLA K Prabhakar Reddy lobbied to merge the mandal in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district.