Congress, CPI compete for KUDA chairman post

Kothagudem: The newly created position of chairman of the Kothagudem Urban Development Authority (KUDA) is being contested by the ruling Congress and CPI, who formed a poll coalition in the previous Assembly elections.

It should be mentioned that on October 15, 2024, the department of urban development and municipal administration issued GO No. 177, which established the urban development authority. On May 29 of this year, a gazette notice was published in this regard.

The KUDA ruling body was not yet established, though. According to reports, Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, the state secretary of the CPI and the representative for the Kothagudem Assembly constituency, has been working to get a position for any of his party’s officials. However, leaders of Congress are also vying for the position at the same time.

Considering the impending local body elections, the matter has grown more complex. In the first week of July, Sambasiva Rao met Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to discuss the necessity of cooperating in local body elections. According to sources, the Congress leadership is undecided over whether to honour the CPI’s claim to the position of KUDA chairman or designate a Congress politician to fill it. Local Congress leaders are adamant that one of them be given the opportunity to establish the party’s presence in the constituency where they feel estranged. Notably, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s supporters have also been vying for the position.

When it comes to choosing the KUDA chairman, the two factions do not want to repeat their face-off from when they appointed the Peddammagudi chairman. Although there are a number of names circulating in both party circles as possible candidates for the position of KUDA chairman, it is unclear who will be chosen for the position.