19 candidates in fray for Vijayawada mayor post
In Short
A total of 349 candidates are contesting for 86 divisions in the municipal corporation.
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YSRCP mayor candidate and former mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi campaigning in Vijayawada along with party NTR district president Devineni Avinash on Sunday
Vijayawada: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) elections have entered the final phase with Returning Officer Rajani Kumari announcing the final list of contesting candidates on Sunday, following the directions of the State Election Commission (SEC).
As many as 19 candidates are in the fray for mayor’s post, setting the stage for a high-profile contest among NDA-backed Jana Sena Party candidate Vangaveeti Radhakrishna, YSRCP candidate Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi and retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao, who is contesting as an independent with the backing of Left parties and Congress.
A total of 349 candidates are contesting for 86 divisions in the municipal corporation.
TDP opened its account with an unopposed victory in Division 64, where its candidate Veeramachineni Lalitha was the sole nominee and was elected unanimously. 14 divisions are set to witness direct contests between NDA and YSRCP candidates, according to the final list.
Meanwhile, TDP suspended seven leaders for allegedly violating alliance discipline by contesting as rebels in VMC elections amid differences over seat-sharing arrangements. The suspended leaders are Kakollu Mahendra Nath (Bobby), Devarapu Malyadri, Gedda Srinivasa Rao, Kota Narayana, Chandrasekhar, Kommineni Suresh and Madala Satyavathi.
The party said action was taken over anti-party activities and conduct contrary to alliance discipline. It also clarified that it would have no association with the suspended leaders.
With the final list announced, campaigning is set to intensify across the city, with the mayoral race and division-level contests drawing considerable political attention.
With polling scheduled for November 1, candidates of major political parties have intensified their election campaigns across Vijayawada.
NDA’s Jana Sena Party mayor candidate and former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna campaigned in Vijayawada East Assembly constituency along with Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) and East MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao. They appealed to voters to support NDA candidates, promising to focus on the development of Vijayawada city.
YSRCP mayoral candidate and former mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi also intensified her campaign along with party NTR district convener Devineni Avinash.
She canvassed through door-to-door visits and an open-top jeep, appealing to voters to support the party and highlighting the development initiatives taken up during the YSRCP’s five-year tenure.
Meanwhile, Left and Congress-backed independent mayor candidate and retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao campaigned in Gunadala and Machavaram along with CPM NTR district secretary DV Krishna, CPI leader Akkineni Vanaja and Congress leader Naraharasetti Narasimha Rao.
The leaders criticised both the ruling NDA and the YSRCP, alleging that Vijayawada’s development had been neglected during their respective tenures. They urged voters to support their candidate, promising greater attention to the city’s civic issues.
