Visakhapatnam: In the blockbuster movie ‘Pushpa: The Rise’, the antagonist Bhanwar Singh Shekawat, essayed by actor Fahadh Faasil, delivers a popular dialogue ‘okkati thakuvayindi’ (short of one).

But to grab the Mayor post, the NDA alliance is short of two members. Following which, both the ruling party corporators and the YSRCP corporators vie with one another for the Mayor post.

Following the no-confidence motion notice, district collector and in-charge commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) M N Harendhira Prasad informed the council members that no-confidence motion against Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari will be moved during a meeting scheduled on April 19.

Earlier, the alliance party corporators submitted a representation to the District Collector to move no confidence motion against the Mayor.

While the alliance is trying its best to gain strength in order to win the no confidence motion, the YSRCP is focused towards defeating it.

The YSRCP won the Mayor post as they had a huge majority in the GVMC elections. However, the TDP, JSP and BJP alliance came to power in the general elections in 2024, the alliance party corporators gradually increased their strength.

Later, two independent corporators joined the TDP along with 18 corporators of the YSRCP. Similarly, seven other corporators and one independent corporator joined Jana Sena Party.

Also, another YSRCP corporator joined the BJP. With this, the alliance’s strength in the council increased to 61.

Former tourism minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao resigned from the YSRCP, while his daughter and GVMC 5th ward corporator Muttamsetti Priyanka is not that active in the party.

Another senior leader Behara Bhaskara Rao has been away from the YSRCP for quite a while. Even as his wife and daughter-in-law are serving as corporators, they distance themselves from the party-related activities.

To win the no confidence motion against the Mayor, 2/3rds of the members in the council should vote against the Mayor.

The GVMC currently has 97 corporators, eight MLAs, two MPs, one Rajya Sabha member and four MLCs.

Including ex officio members, the alliance party has a strength of 72 votes. However, to win the no-confidence motion, the party needs two more votes.

Currently, in the council, the TDP has 48 corporators, Jana Sena Party 11 and BJP two corporators. In addition, eight MLAs, two MPs and one MLC will vote in favour of the alliance.

To protect their majority, the YSRCP leaders organised a tour for the corporators to Bengaluru recently. Following which, a majority of them did not even attend the GVMC’s budget meeting.

As many as 28 YSRCP council members are still in Bengaluru.

In the meantime, alliance leaders are confident that some of the YSRCP members will vote in their favour. The YSRCP leaders, however, are campaigning that some of the alliance party corporators would skip the council meeting on April 19.

Whether the alliance party gains enough strength to move no confidence motion against the Mayor or the YSRCP will battle a united fight has to be seen on April 19.