Jana Sena Getting Set for Municipal Polls in Rayalaseema

Anantapur: The Jana Sena has begun preparations for the municipal elections in the Rayalaseema region, focusing on mayoral and municipal chairperson posts and a number of corporator and councillor seats.

The party leadership has been receiving applications from aspirants and is assessing caste equations, youth support and its organisational presence in urban areas.

The Balija community has a strong presence in Anantapur and Tirupati municipal corporations. The Jana Sena is seeking at least one mayoral post. Jana Sena senior leader B Ravi Kumar has submitted a representation seeking the mayor's post in Anantapur.

The party is focusing on the mayoral post in view of reported differences between two Telugu Desam groups. Sources said Anantapur urban MLA was supporting B Ramesh of Munna Nagar, while a rival TD group had complained to the party high command over pending cases.

The group led by former MLA V. Prabhakar Chowdary was seeking allotment of the mayoral post to a minority candidate to balance the vote bank for the next general elections.

The Jana Sena leadership is also identifying candidates and assessing its organisational strength across major municipalities in Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai, Kurnool, Nandyal, Kadapa, Annamayya and Chittoor districts.

Local leaders have been asked to strengthen the party network at the ward level and mobilise support ahead of the elections.

Recently, senior YSRC leader Naveen Nischal from the Hindupur assembly segment joined the Jana Sena. The move is expected by the party to have an impact on the special-grade municipality of Hindupur.

The Hindupur segment has been held by the NTR family and TD for the past three decades, while the municipality has been difficult for the TD due to local political equations. Similar equations prevail in the Kadiri and Dharmavaram municipalities, where the elections will involve direct election of the municipal chairperson.