VIJAYAWADA: Describing the upcoming local body elections as a referendum on the NDA coalition government’s two-and-a-half years in office, alliance leaders expressed confidence that their candidates would win all 86 divisions of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, with mayoral candidate Vangaveeti Radhakrishna securing a substantial majority.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath said the Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena and BJP were working in close coordination to ensure victory for alliance candidates in Vijayawada and across NTR district.
He said the government had fulfilled several promises through development and welfare initiatives. Highlighting its achievements, Sivanath said house-site pattas and registration documents had been provided to 26,000 beneficiaries in Vijayawada, resolving a problem that had persisted for nearly 40 years and granting them permanent residential and ownership rights.
He said a detailed project report had been prepared to address the city’s drinking water problem at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore. After the new municipal council was constituted, the alliance would strive to secure around Rs 1,850 crore for drinking water and other infrastructure, he said.
He alleged that the previous YSRCP government had left the corporation with around Rs 400 crore in outstanding contractor bills. The coalition government was clearing the dues in phases, and steps would be taken to settle the remaining amounts, he said.
He warned rebel candidates contesting against official alliance nominees that they could face suspension if they continued to defy party decisions.
Mayoral candidate Vangaveeti Radhakrishna said TDP, Jana Sena and BJP leaders were working together and expressed confidence that the alliance would win all 86 divisions. He said people were satisfied with development and welfare initiatives undertaken over the past two-and-a-half years and promised to focus on the city’s development with public support.
TDP leader Buddha Venkanna predicted a clean sweep for the alliance, describing Radhakrishna as an honest leader capable of bringing change to the corporation. He criticised YSRCP leaders for politicising Radhakrishna’s interaction with former police officer AB Venkateswara Rao during campaigning.
NTR district TDP president Gadde Anuradha said the elections would reflect public opinion on the coalition government’s performance. She said Radhakrishna could address civic issues, particularly roads and drainage, and expressed confidence in the alliance’s prospects across Vijayawada and NTR district.
