Vijaya Kumari Ganti | |
---|---|
MP, Lok Sabha | |
In office 2002–2004 | |
Preceded by | G. M. C. Balayogi |
Succeeded by | G. V. Harsha Kumar |
Constituency | Amalapuram |
Personal details | |
Political party | Telugu Desam Party |
Spouse | G. M. C. Balayogi |
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.
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]
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]
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]