Hyderabad: Maganti Sunitha, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) candidate for the Jubilee Hills by-election and widow of the late MLA Maganti Gopinath, is facing controversy over her marital status after Taraq Pradhumna Kosaraju — who claims to be Gopinath’s son from his first marriage — alleged that Sunitha was never legally married to the MLA.
The controversy has erupted just days before the Jubilee Hills by-poll on November 11, which was necessitated after the passing of Maganti Gopinath in June this year.
Taraq has filed a complaint with the Cyberabad police commissioner alleging that Maganti Sunitha and her three children fraudulently obtained a Family Member Certificate (FMC) as the legal heirs of Maganti Gopinath, eventhough MLA’s first marriage with his mother Kosaraju Malini, was never dissolved through divorce.
His complaint further states that Sunitha has only been ‘cohabiting’ with the MLA and the two of them were not under a lawful marriage. He stated that after the passing of Maganati Gopinath, Sunitha fraudulently applied for the FMC with the Serilingampally Tahsildar and the certificate was issued to her on July 4 this year.
When he got to know of the development, he filed a petition with the Revenue Divisional Officer of Serilingampally mandal, and an inquiry apparently confirmed that Gopinath was only in a live-in relationship with Sunitha and the FMC was cancelled.
Taraq has asked for criminal proceedings against Sunitha and her children for misrepresenting facts and trying to usurp legal heirship.
KTR did not allow me to see my son: Maganti Gopinath’s mother
On Thursday, Maganti Mahananda Kumari, mother of the late MLA Maganti Gopinath, appeared before the Serilingampally Deputy Collector and Tahsildar as part of the ongoing inquiry into the FMC issuance.
While speaking to reporters there, she alleged that during her son’s final days, she was not allowed to visit him at the hospital. “I was not even aware that my son had been admitted to the hospital. One time when I was waiting outside the ICU, I met KTR and asked him to let me meet my son, but he shut the door and left,” she stated.
BRS responds
The BRS has responded to the allegations made against Maganti Sunitha and has accused the Congress of using ‘cheap tactics’ to defile their candidate.
The BRS party’s X account posted pictures of Sunitha’s and Gopinath’s wedding and accused chief minsiter Recanth Reddy of ‘Shikhandi politics’.
“By dragging a mother who has been a pillar of support to that family for 30 years, right from the wedding.. The Congress has brought her to the streets for their vile politics! Unable to face a woman in the by-election, Revanth is tearing apart that family and playing Shikhandi politics,” the post stated.
BRS leader Manne Krishank also posted the couple’s photos and claimed that Congress prompted Maganti Gopinath’s mother and brother to speak against Maganti Sunitha.
“23 years of marriage in presence of mother, 3 children from the marriage, Maganti Gopinath garu passed away in June, In October on the day of scrutiny of nominations Congress candidate gives Returning Officer a letter to reject Maganti Sunitha’s candidature claiming she is not Maganti Gopinath’s wife. Election authorities reject the accusations.. Now 3 days before polling campaign ends, Congress Media is making Maganti Gopinath’s mother and brother speak against Wife & BRS Candidate Maganti Sunitha …. Cheapest tactics by Sonia Gandhi ji’s party against a Woman Candidate in Jubilee Hills Bypoll.” he stated.
