The ruling YSR Congress Party annexed all the 11 urban local bodies in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh hands down, but finalising the candidates for the coveted posts, a day ahead of the indirect elections slated for Thursday, has become a Herculean task for the party high-command in many of the urban local bodies(ULBs).
The party has cleared the name of Gangada Sujatha for the Mayor post in Ongole, ruling party sources said, while they decided on Srinath Reddy for the Chairperson’s post in Sullurpeta, G. Venkataramanamma in Atmakur and Deepika in Naidupeta.
But hectic lobbying is on by the aspirants for the key posts of Chairperson as also Vice-Chairperson in other civic bodies. In the handloom town of Venkatagiri in SPSR Nellore district, D. Sharada and N. Bhanupriya, both hailing from the weavers community, have thrown their hats in the ring for the Chairperson’s post, making it difficult for Venkatagiri MLA and former Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy to decide between them.
The task of selecting the nominee for the Chairperson post became a difficult one also in Chirala Municipality as all the five Chairperson aspirants--B. Jaison Babu, S. Lakshmi, J. Srinivasa Rao, M. Sambasiva Rao and U. Subbaiah-- won the direct elections held on March 10.
State Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Chirala MLA Karnam Balarama Krishnamurthy burnt the midnight oil hearing the conflicting views of the 19 candidates who won in the elections to the 33-member house. Compounding the issue at hand for the two leaders was the election of 13 Independents, all supporters of former MLA and YSRCP leader Amanchi Krishnamohan as corporators.
In Kanigiri Nagara Panchayat, where the YSRCP won from all the 20 wards, the party had sounded Sk.Abdul Gafoor for the Chairman’s post and P. Shanthi for the Vice-Chairperson post.
In Markapur, the names of Ch. Balamuralikrishna and T. Kanakadurga have been have been shortlisted for the Chairperson’s post, while Sk. Ismail and Sk. Salim were vying for the Vice-Chairperson’s post. In Giddalur, R.D. Ramakrishna has been sounded for the Chairperson’s post by sitting YSRCP MLA Anna Ram Babu, party sources said.
Published - March 18, 2021 12:27 am IST
