KADAPA: The Kadapa Municipal Corporation mayor’s post has been reserved for women in the general category, prompting the NDA alliance and YSRCP to intensify their efforts to select their candidate for the upcoming mayoral election.
This will be the fourth mayoral election since the formation of the municipal corporation. In the previous three elections, the post was reserved twice for the Backward Classes (BC) and once for the Open Category (OC).
The election is expected to be politically significant for both the NDA alliance and the YSRCP. While the YSRCP has won the mayor’s post twice, the Congress secured it once. TDP has never won the post and is making an all-out effort to secure the coveted post, while the YSRCP will be trying to retain the seat.
Several women leaders are reportedly seeking the TDP ticket, with differences emerging within the party over the selection.
Former Zilla Parishad vice-chairman G Lakshmi Reddy has reportedly approached Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh and Palla Srinivasa Rao, seeking the party ticket for his daughter-in-law G Uma Devi. However, local MLA Reddappagari Madhavi Reddy and her husband, zonal chairman Reddappa Gari Srinivasulu Reddy, wanted a candidate of their choice as the Party candidate.
The differences stem from allegations that the Lakshmi Reddy family did not support the TDP during the previous Assembly elections but worked for YSRCP.
Apart from Uma Devi, the names of gynaecologist Janga Mamatheswari, Dr Nelaturi Suvarna and several others are reportedly doing the rounds as possible TDP candidates.
The names doing the rounds as YSRCP aspirants include Dr Ramya, daughter of YSRCP district president P Ravindranath Reddy, and B Deepti Reddy, wife of former deputy mayor B Nityananda Reddy, besides several other women leaders. P Ravindranath Reddy was the first Mayor, while K. Suresh Babu won the subsequent two elections.