KADAPA: Politics is on an overdrive following declaration of results for Mydukur municipality in Kadapa district.
While Telugu Desam won 12 of total 24 civic body seats, its ally Jana Sena emerged victorious from one ward. Ruling YSR Congress won 11 seats.
The hairline majority has led to TDP and YSR holding their councillors in separate camps. Opposition TD camp, however, suffered a jolt after the Jana Sena winner Vadanapalli Babu went missing after collecting his winning certificate from the 19th Ward on Sunday.
With his vote becoming crucial for the election of municipal chairperson, there is large-scale speculation about his whereabouts. But none knows where he is at the moment.
While this is so, Mahaboob Bee, who has been elected from the 6th Ward, left the TDP camp on Sunday evening, reportedly after being permitted to do so by the party leadership.
However, Mydukur Telugu Desam Party in-charge Putta Sudhakar Yadav went on to allege that police had taken her away from their camp. Following this, her son complained to police that his mother is missing ever since she got elected as councillor. Police then tracked Mahaboob Bee and handed her over to her family. Since then, she is reported to be at the home of a senior ruling YSR Congress leader.
With this development, the number of elected members belonging to TD has reached 11, the same as YSRC. Under the circumstances, if Mahaboob Bee is not present during the chairmanship election on March 18 and the JS winner too remains missing, the number of members of both YSRC and TD will be 11. Then, ruling party’s Kadapa MP Y. S. Avinash Reddy and Mydukur MLA Shettypalli Raghuramireddy can cast their ex-officio votes and YSRC can take over the chairmanship with a two-vote lead.
It is learnt, the ruling party leaders are making efforts to attract additional TDP councillors to their side. It remains to be seen to what extent Telugu Desam is able to keep its flock together.
If Jana Sena councillor supports the ruling party, then YSRC number will reach 14 and the latter’s candidate will win the chairperson post. Even if Vadanapalli Babu supports TD, the opposition party will have only 12 members as Mahaboob Bee is still missing. Yet, if she too, along with Jana Sena candidate supports Telugu Desam, the opposition party’s tally will be 13, equivalent to that of YSRC, inclusive of the latter’s two ex-officio votes. The municipal chairperson will then be elected with a toss.
However, it appears the ruling party will not let the situation slip away from it. It has announced that Machanur Chandra is their candidate for the chairperson’s post.
