NDA eyes GVMC Mayor’s post

Visakhapatnam : The NDA that emerged victorious in the GVMC standing committee polls is now eyeing the Mayor’s post.

Despite not having enough strength to register victory in the standing committee polls, the NDA managed to secure all the 10 seats. Of the 96 votes, a TDP candidate secured 66 votes in the standing committee polls. Eventually, only 30 council members are now left in the YSRCP.

After the standing committee elections, the NDA now has the required strength to earn the Mayor post. However, the YSRCP government brought an Act to protect the Mayoral post for not less than four years. Even as there are enough council members for the NDA now, the Act that came into force during the previous government might be a stumbling block for the alliance to get the Mayor seat.

To clear the hurdle, the NDA government in the State is planning to amend the existing Act so that a member representing the alliance can get elected as the Mayor.

Meanwhile, the ensuing MLC bypolls will also be concluded in a month. After which, the NDA is planning to pay its complete attention to secure the Mayor’s post.

Already, 13 YSRCP corporators jumped ship and joined the TDP and JSP. In the days to come, more YSRCP corporators are likely to shift loyalties.

Even as former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held an exclusive meeting with an army of corporators, unlike his usual style of leadership, the YSRCP could not make its presence felt in the standing committee polls. This is mainly because the YSRCP members voted for the TDP. Earlier, a team of BJP, TDP and JSP corporators held a detailed discussion with state TDP president Palla Srinivasa Rao and other MLAs about strategies to secure the Mayoral post.

Once amendment is made to the Act, the TDP is certain to nominate its candidate for the Mayor’s post next.