NDA leaders struggle to choose Visakhapatnam Deputy Mayor candidate amid fierce competition from TDP and JSP

NDA leaders struggle to choose Deputy Mayor candidate amid fierce competition from TDP and JSP

The leaders from the NDA are finding it difficult in selecting a candidate for the position of Deputy Mayor amid strong competition from both the Telugu Desam Party(TDP) and the Jana Sena Party(JSP). No decision has been taken by the NDA leaders till Sunday night, though the election for the position is scheduled to be held at 11 a.m. on Monday (May 19).

Sources from the NDA said that already two women corporators from the TDP, including one from the Yadava community, to which the former Mayor belongs, were nominated by the MLAs and other public-elected representatives. Similarly, two corporators from the JSP, including a woman corporator, were proposed by the JSP leaders and they are also in the list of contenders. Corporators from both the TDP and the JSP are confident on their candidate becoming the Deputy Mayor. Serious deliberations are under way among the NDA leaders to finalise a candidate, said a senior corporator from the TDP.

Meanwhile, the corporators from the JSP have been exerting strong pressure on the party high command to take steps so that the party candidate becomes the Deputy Mayor.

JSP corporator P.L.V.N. Murthy has written a letter to the party chief K. Pawan Kalyan stating that the JSP cadre, supporters as well public have been seeking the Deputy Mayor position for the party candidate.

“During the last standing committee meeting, two no-confidence motions against the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor and also during the Mayor election, the JSP extended strong support to the TDP, without expecting any posts, he wrote in the letter, adding that the JSP has grown its strength in the council from four to 17 seats, including three ex-officio members.

Sources from the NDA said that a meeting is going to be conducted on May 19 in a hotel, hours before the Deputy Mayor election. Senior leaders from the TDP, JSP and the BJP will be attending it along with the corporators. The senior leaders are expected to announce the name of the candidate, and also issue the B-form.