VISAKHAPATNAM/VIJAYAWADA : After the YSRC clean sweep in the Urban Local Body elections, all are curious about the mayoral candidates of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC). A strong competition is on the cards as aspirants are lobbying hard to get selected for the coveted posts by YSRC chief and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Unlike Opposition TDP, which announced its mayoral candidates before the elections, the YSRC did not do so.
Now, there are several contenders for the top posts. In the GVMC, the YSRC won 58 seats and got the requisite majority to win the mayoral post, which is reserved for BCs (General). YSRC city president Vamsi Krishna Yadav is the frontrunner for the post. He has been associated with the party since its inception.
He even ‘sacrificed’ the party ticket for Visakhapatnam East Assembly segment in 2019 elections, when the YSRC leadership decided to field Akkaramani Vijayanirmala, who eventually lost. Vamsi is now pinning hopes that the party leadership will select him for the mayoral post as in one of the meetings ahead of elections, YSRC MP V Vijayasai Reddy announced that he is a probable candidate for it.
women may get priority in ysrc selection
However, Vamsi’s chances may be marred as the party leadership is now contemplating allotting the post to a woman, sources said. In that case, three names are doing rounds for the plum post. They include 9th division corporator Korukonda Venkata Ratna Swati, 12th division corporator Akkaramani Rohini and 43rd division corporator P Purnasri. “All the three are highly educated and will fit the bill for YSRC ideology. If Jagan decides to give the post to a woman, one of them will be selected. Otherwise, it will be Vamsi Krishna as hinted at earlier,’’ a YSRC source said.
In Vijayawada too, sources said though the seat is reserved for Women (General), the YSRC may select a BC for the post. Initially, P Likitha, daughter of APSFL Chairman P Goutham Reddy, was the frontrunner for the mayoral post. But she lost the election from the 28th division. With Likitha’s exit from the race, it is learnt that Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu is trying to get a corporator from his constituency elected as the mayor and supporting the candidature of A Sailaja Reddy, who won from the 58the division for the second consecutive time.
Also in the race is former YSRC floor leader in the VMC council B Punyaseela, who stood by the party in tough times. Meanwhile, the name of 46th division corporator R Bhagyalakshmi is said to have proposed by some YSRC leaders for the mayoral post. She belongs to a BC community and it will come as a surprise, if she is selected by the YSRC leadership for the coveted post.Krishna District Incharge Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy is likely to meet Jagan on Tuesday. A final decision on mayoral candidates for the GVMC and VMC is likely to be taken at the meeting. After consultations with senior leaders, the names of party candidates for mayoral posts of other municipal corporations may also be announced, sources said.