Vijayawada: TDP declares Kesineni Swetha as mayoral candidate

Vijayawada: Telugu Desam Party on Thursday announced Kesineni Swetha, daughter of Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas as its mayoral candidate for Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

She will contest from the 11th division in Vijayawada East constituency limits. TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu announced the name of Kesineni Swetha. Both Kesineni Nani and his daughter have been vigorously canvassing in the city for the past two weeks for the victory of the TDP in the civic body polls to be held on March 10. Counting of votes will be held on March 14. Swetha (25), is unmarried and had schooling from Atkinson High School, VP Siddhrtha High School, Vijayawada and Lawrence School, Ooty.

She studied Intermediate in Bengaluru and did BA in Psychology. She worked in micro finance community service project, Ghana, Africa and child psychology programme in Ireland. She actively participated in the Assembly elections in the city particularly in West assembly constituency limits in 2019. The announcement of Naidu has put an end to the speculations about the mayoral candidate in the city. TDP former MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao opposed the candidature of Swetha and demanded that a candidate from Central constituency should be given an opportunity to become the mayor.

Former mayor Koneru Sridhar hails from Vijayawada East assembly constituency. Vijayawada mayor post is declared for general women category this time.

Again, the TDP has chosen Swetha from the same segment. Kesineni Nani and TDP West segment leaders Buddha Venkanna and Nagul Meera too had differences on selection candidates in West assembly constituency limits. TDP president K Atchannaiduresolved the dispute between the two sides. Finally, Kesineni Srinivas influenced his power and convinced the party leadership to declare Swetha as a mayoral candidate for city.

Earlier, woman candidate Panchumarthi Anuradha acted as a mayor. Later, other women candidates MV Ratnabindu, TadiSakuntala and Mallika Begum were elected as mayors of the city.