Big Battle for Anantapur Mayor’s Post
The BJP and YSRC are locked in a contest for the Anantapur mayor’s post, with the TDP and Jana Sena’s support crucial to the ruling alliance’s campaign.
Election for the Mayor’s post in Anantapur Municipal Corporation would be a litmus test for the ruling alliance, with the seat being hotly contested by the BJP and the opposition YSRC.
The alliance fielded K Ajesh Yadav of the BJP as mayor candidate while the YSRC fielded E Ramesh Gowd after keeping aside the sitting mayor S Vasim – apparently targeting the Hindu vote bank.
In view of the internal bickerings among leaders of TD, health minister Satyakumar Yadav, who is Dharmavaram BJP MLA, has been leading the alliance campaign. He sought support from both TD groups and the Jana Sena wing from Anantapur city in view of the YSRC contesting all seats here -- more than the other parts of state, including Pulivendula, the home constituency of YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The TDP is expected to play a key role in the election even as a BJP minister led the campaign along with the Jana Sena and TD.
While the ruling alliance has an organisational advantage, the extent of organising votes from its constituent parties will be a factor in determining the outcome of the civic polls. TD candidates are in fray in 46 divisions as against a total of 62 divisions.
The TD high command reportedly offered five divisions to candidates of a group led by former MLA V Prabhakar Chowdary while the remaining was offered for the group of sitting MLA D Prasad. Candidates from the YSRC are in fray in all divisions and the party campaign is being led by the party's district unit president Ananta Venkatrami Reddy.
Congress leader Dada Gandhi is contesting as the party’s Mayor candidate. He concentrates his attention on minority votes.
Analysts say the alliance faces the challenge of balancing the aspirations of leaders from its constituent parties while trying to ensure that differences over the mayor’s post do not affect its electoral prospects.
Minister Satyakumar Yadav along with TD urban MLA D Prasad was conducting the campaign for candidate Ajesh Yadav, a BJYM leader. Similarly, YSRC candidate E Ramesh Gowd is having a student union backdrop with support from former MLA Ananta Venkatrami Reddy.
The ruling alliance is promising to implement development works with funds from the state and central governments if the BJP candidate is elected as the mayor. The YSRC is citing irregularities and “poor” development during the past two and a half years of TD rule.
