Alert security officials escorting Warangal Mayor Erraballi Swarna managed to save her from being humiliated by activists of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Bharatiya Janata Party after they tried welcome her with a garland of slippers on Sunday.
The Warangal Mayor had earlier in the day hit the road as a part of her campaign for the Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies elections in Mucherla, Hasanparthy mandal in the district.
The TRS and BJP activists 'welcome' act was part of their efforts to force the Mayor adopt a pro-Telangana stance. According to sources, the 2 parties are vehemently opposed to the Mayor, since she has been seen as adopting a diplomatic stance on the contentious issue.
The protesting activists also demanded that Swarna resign from her post and join the separate statehood agitation.
The 'chappal' garland is a far cry for the Warangal Mayor from the felicitation she had received by her counterpart from Hyderabad Banda Karthika Reddy on September 24th.
Karthika Reddy had felicitated 4 of her counterparts from Kakinada, Vijayawada, Nellore and Warangal Municipal Corporations in her capacity as Vice-chairperson, All India Mayors' Council.
The government has already notified that special officers would take charge of the 19 Corporations and Municipal Councils whose terms expire by the month-end.