VISAKHAPATNAM: There is a keen contest between Kimudu Sivaratnam, who won from GK Veedhi and Dr MV Lakshmi, elected from G Madugula for the Zilla Parishad chairperson post, which is reserved for STs.
The name of Sivaratnam made the rounds when she began leading in the early hours of the day. Her husband K Visweswara Raju is a senior leader of the party and was to contest as MLA from Paderu on YSRC ticket in the 2019 elections. At the last minute, he was dropped and K Bhagyalakshmi was given a ticket. But the party high command gave him an assurance that the work he had done for the party during elections would be rewarded in Parishad elections. Sivaratnam is a graduate and a trained teacher.
The other keen contestant is Dr MV Lakshmi, daughter of former minister Matyarasa Balaraju. She resigned her medical officer post from the government and entered politics. She won by over 1,500 votes.
A senior party leader said the party might announce the name of the chairperson on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has issued a notification and the elected candidate has to assume office on September 24.
Of the 11 ZTPCs in the agency area under Araku and Paderu Assembly constituencies, YSRC won in 10 and CPI clinched the Ananthagiri seat.
