Vijaya Kumari Ganti

Vijaya Kumari Ganti is a former member of the 13th Lok Sabha from Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh. She is the widow of Lok Sabha speaker G.M.C. Balayogi and won the by-election (2002) conducted after his death.

Career

The sudden death of Amalapuram MP and Lok Sabha Speaker Ganti Mohana Chandra Balayogi necessitated a by-election for the reserved constituency.[1] Before fielding Balayogi's widow Ganti for the seat, senior members of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) were considering her nomination to the Rajya Sabha.[2] Ganti herself, being in a state of shock, was reluctant to contest the election and Balyogi's family wanted his sister to succeed him.[3][4]

The Indian National Congress (INC) didn't contest the by-election and TDP had thought Ganti would win unopposed.[5] Even a legislator of Bharatiya Janata Party was present when she filed her nomination.[6] Only Bahujan Samaj Party and Republican Party of India placed their candidates against her and both forfeited their security deposit. She won by a margin of 3,13,660 votes.[1]

Ganti took her oath of office on the first day of the 2002 monsoon session of the Lok Sabha.[7] For the next general election TDP made Dunna Janardhana Rao its official candidate instead of her.[8] Political pundits cited this as an example of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu's "use and throw" policy.[9]

The spouses of the speakers of Lok Sabha are provided a house in New Delhi. Ganti, however, faced trouble in getting a house allocated.[9]

Personal life

Vijaya Kumari married G.M.C. Balayogi on 16 April 1982. Together they had one son and three daughters.[10] Balayogi died in a helicopter accident on 3 March 2002.[11]

References
  1. "Landslide win for TDP candidate". The Hindu. 3 June 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  2. Sarma, Ramu (9 March 2002). "TDP leaders want RS berth for Balayogi's wife". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  3. "Naidu persuades Balayogi's wife". The Times of India. 5 May 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  4. Messias, Lionel (2 May 2002). "TDP to field Balayogi's wife from Amalapuram seat". Gulf News. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  5. "Balayogi's widow wins from Amalapuram". The Times of India. 3 June 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  6. "Balayogi's wife files nomination". The Hindu. 10 May 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  7. "Thirteenth Lok Sabha: Session 10 Date 15-07-2002". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  8. Press Trust of India (26 March 2004). "TDP drops Balayogi's wife". Rediff.com. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  9. Messias, Lionel (27 March 2004). "Balayogi's wife dumped by Naidu". Gulf News. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  10. "Balayogi, Shri Ganti Mohana Chandra – Biographical Sketch of Member of 12th Lok Sabha". IndiaPress. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  11. "Balayogi killed in copter crash". The Hindu. 4 March 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
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