Having received setbacks twice from Visakhapatnam, the YSR Congress Party is taking the the GVMC elections as a prestigious issues in view of the State government’s move to set up Executive capital in the city.
Even as an exercise has been launched to select the candidates before the filing of nominations ends on March 14, the YSRCP leadership has appointed its national general secretary V. Vijay Sai Reddy as the key strategist to ensure win in the polls being held in 98 wards.
In no uncertain terms, Mr. Reddy has told the party rank and file that winning the mayor post is very important for the party.
Setback in the past
The party had received the first jolt when working president Vijayamma, wife of late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and mother of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was trounced by the TDP-BJP combine candidate K. Haribabu in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Visakhapatnam.
The second setback came during the last general elections when the YSRCP had to bite the dust in all the four city segments.
It has already launched a scathing attack on the four TDP MLAs for doing nothing and not adopting a clear stand on the Executive capital issue.
Selection of nominees
The YSRCP, besides holding constituency-wise review meetings, has also fixed responsibility with the coordinators and in-charges who will recommend candidates.
Survey on
The party high command has already conducted surveys on the ground realities. Another survey is being conducted to pick up candidates from outside even if they have not submitted their applications before the screening committees based on their track record.
As far as the mayoral post is concerned, party sources told The Hindu that it would be finalised after the elections due to ‘strategic reasons.’
As it is an indirect election, based on various equations, the party will take a call in consultation with district in-charge and Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu and Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao in the eleventh hour.
Model code
Meanwhile, the house site distribution that was supposed to take place on March 25 has been kept under abeyance due to the enforcement of the model code of conduct.
