VIJAYAWADA: The NDA appears to be gaining momentum in the Vijayawada mayoral election, with Jana Sena candidate Vangaveeti Radha Krishna leading an aggressive campaign backed by senior TDP and NDA leaders. The entry of retired IPS officer Aluri Bala Venkateswara Rao (ABV) as an Independent candidate has added a new dimension to the contest, fuelling debate over its impact on the electoral outcome.
Initially seen as a three-cornered contest between NDA, YSRCP and ABV, the election has sparked discussion in political circles over shifting voter preferences and the prospects of the principal Opposition party.
Radha Krishna, who secured Jana Sena nomination for the mayoral post, is being backed by MP Kesineni Sivanath, Vijayawada Central MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao, and East MLA Gadde Rammohan, all of whom have been actively campaigning for him.
The campaign has also put the spotlight on vote transfer within the alliance. With Radha Krishna contesting on the Jana Sena’s glass tumbler symbol, NDA leaders are working to ensure support from TDP and BJP voters translates into votes for the alliance nominee.
ABV is contesting on the gas cylinder symbol as an Independent candidate, reportedly with the support of the INDIA bloc, while former mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi is the YSRCP nominee, contesting on the ceiling fan symbol.
While NDA has intensified door-to-door outreach and grassroots mobilisation, YSRCP’s campaign has appeared comparatively subdued despite instructions from party leadership to workers to campaign vigorously for mayoral and corporator candidates.
ABV’s entry has also generated considerable discussion in political circles and on social media. Some pro-TDP social media handles have projected him as a credible challenger to Radha Krishna and, in some cases, as a stronger alternative to the YSRCP candidate. This has fuelled speculation over whether he could attract anti-NDA votes that might otherwise have gone to the YSRCP.
Political observers believe any split in anti-NDA votes could benefit the NDA by weakening Opposition’s challenge. However, the extent to which ABV can attract support across party lines remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, the TDP, Jana Sena and BJP are coordinating at the grassroots level to maximise their prospects in both the mayoral and corporator elections. The alliance is campaigning for the TDP’s cycle, Jana Sena’s glass tumbler and BJP’s lotus symbols in their respective divisions.
349 candidates in the fray
The final list of candidates published on Sunday confirmed 19 contestants in mayoral race. A total of 349 candidates are contesting corporator seats across the 86 divisions of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.
The TDP has fielded candidates in 58 divisions, Jana Sena in 21 and the BJP in nine. However, Jana Sena and BJP candidates are contesting against each other in Divisions 28 and 40, highlighting local-level differences within the alliance.
Rebel candidates have added another layer of complexity to the election. Several aspirants entered the fray without official party B-forms, while some who defied party decisions have reportedly been suspended.