Now that the YSR Congress Party has romped home by winning 58 of the 98 wards in Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation polls, the party senior leaders are busy finalising the candidate for the Mayor post.
The candidate’s name will be announced by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, said Anakapalle MLA Gudivada Amarnath.
The post is a prestigious one and all options including caste equations and personal qualities are being weighed. The election of Mayor is scheduled on March 17.
One name that appears to be making the rounds even before the completion of the polls is Vamsi Krishna Srinivasa Yadav, the city president of the YSR Congress Party. He was elected from Ward no. 21.
It may be remembered that he was not given the MLA ticket in the last minute in 2019 Assembly Elections. Ms. A. Vijaya Nirmala was given the ticket in Visakhapatnam (East) to fight it out against TDP sitting MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and she lost the elections.
Since then Mr. Vasmi has been hopeful for a plum post and finally fortune may smile upon him in the form of the mayoral post.
The YSRCP had made good inroads in Visakhapatnam (East) by winning about 15 out of 17 wards in the corporation polls and he might be rewarded for it, said party sources.
Moreover, party sources say that he had been a loyal party worker from day one and is in the good books of party member in Rajya Sabha V. Vijaya Sai Reddy, who played a key role in the win in municipal elections. Though Mr. Vamsi seems to be the hot favourite for the mayor post, the race is open for the post of Deputy Mayor.
Deputy Mayor post
At least four names are making rounds, which includes Vamsi Reddy, who is the son of Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Nagi Reddy, Anil Kumar Raju a close aide of K.K. Raju, who was the MLA candidate for Visakhapatnam (North), Barkat Ali, a leader from the YSRCP Minority cell, and finally Muttamsetti Priyanka, the daughter of Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao.
If a candidate from minority is considered then Barkat Ali has a chance, who won from a ward in Marripalem area.
Caste equation is another deciding factor and both the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor may be chosen from the BCs.
Another speculation is that the tenure for both the posts may be split into two terms of two-and-a-half-years by the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister has already set such a system for the ministerial posts and may implement the same for posts in the municipal corporation, say senior leaders of the party.
