The large number of contestants and the presence of several smaller parties and Independents make the VMC election a closely watched contest, with the mayoral race adding further interest to the campaign.(File Photo)

Vijayawada:The mayoral election for Vijayawada Municipal Corporation has seen a line-up of 19 candidates including Jana Sena nominee Vangaveeti Radha Krishna and YSR Congress candidate Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, while 349 candidates are contesting the 86 divisions.

This, as per the official lists of candidates released on Sunday.

Ward 50 has the most with nine in the fray. Ward 64 has the lowest, with just one candidate. The large number of contestants and the presence of several smaller parties and Independents make the VMC election a closely watched contest, with the mayoral race adding further interest to the campaign.

The mayoral contest features candidates representing eight political parties, besides 11 Independents. The division-wise contest is wider, with candidates from 11 political parties and a substantial number of Independents.

The mayoral candidates include Karnikoti Venkata Koteswara Rao of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Kambhampati Rama Gopala Krishna Murthy of the Aam Aadmi Party, Bhagyalakshmi of the YSR Congress, Vangaveeti Radha Krishna of Jana Sena, Shaik Khajavali of the Indian Union Muslim League, Kakarla Venkata Siva Prasad of the Bharata Chaitanya Yuvajana Party, Chareeshma Tabo of the Navarang Congress Party and Pulipaka Hari Krishna of the Reforms Party of India.

The remaining 11 candidates are Independents.

The mayoral contest also witnessed an interesting moment during campaigning in Gunadala on Sunday, where Radha Krishna and retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao, who is contesting as an Independent with the support of the Congress and Left parties, came face to face.

While alliance leaders were conducting a door-to-door campaign, the two greeted each other warmly, embraced and chatted for a while. Their friendly interaction amid the electioneering attracted the attention of people in the area.

The division-wise list shows that the Telugu Desam has fielded 58 candidates, followed by the YSR Congress with 85 and Independents with 108. The Communist parties together account for 36 candidates, while the Indian National Congress has fielded 27 and Jana Sena 21. The BJP has nine candidates. The remaining candidates represent the AIMIM, Bahujan Samaj Party and Aam Aadmi Party.


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