NELLORE/GUNTUR: Elections to the urban local bodies in the State are witnessing some interesting contests. While it is two sisters pitched against each other in Nellore, two close members of a family are fighting from the same ward in Anantapur.
In Atmakur municipality of Nellore district, Lakshmi and her sister Tirupatamma are contesting from the 13th ward on two different party tickets, which is reserved for SC women.
Former councillor Srikanth Narayana lost the chance of contesting this poll as the ward is reserved for women. So he fielded his mother Lakshmi on behalf of TDP. "My son Srikanth had developed the ward during his regime. Now, I got a chance after the ward is reserved for women," she said.
Lakshmi is a housewife and this is her election debut. Her sibling Tirupatamma, on the other hand, is an advocate and she was fielded by the YSRC from the same ward. "Attracted by the welfare schemes introduced by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, I have decided to contest the civic polls this time," she said, adding that there is no change in the relations with her sister even if they are pitched against each other. "It is just a coincidence that myself and my sister are contesting from the same ward for different parties," Lakshmi said.
"It may be a rare coincidence as the two sisters are contesting from the same ward. The families of the two siblings maintain good relations. We are waiting for the election result as it is a fight between two sisters," M Suguna, a resident of 13th ward, told The New Indian Express.
In Rayadurgam municipality of Anantapur district, two close relatives are pitched against each other in the eighth ward. While M Chinna Veeraswamy is contesting on YSRC ticket, his brother’s wife Jyothi is his rival candidate from TDP.
Jyothi got elected as municipal councillor last time and also served as vice-chairperson for two years after the death of her husband in a road accident.In Sattenapalli municipality of Guntur district, two couples are contesting the elections from different wards. B Chandra Sekhar and Vijayammavani (both from TDP) are in the fray in 20th and 18th wards.
"We are campaigning in both wards for each other and supporting each other," said Vijayammavani. Another couple A Rajasekhar and Rajeswari are contesting on Jana Sena tickets from fifth and 10th wards."We will strive to solve people’s problems if we get elected," Rajeswari said.
In Atmakur, Lakshmi and her sister Tirupatamma are contesting from the 13th ward on two different party tickets, which is reserved for SC women