Visakhapatnam: GVMC bypolls take new twists

Visakhapatnam: The byelection to be held for the two divisions in GVMC is snowballing into a controversy in Visakhapatnam.

The allotment of the YSRCP symbol to a candidate representing the Indian National Congress Party appears to be the main reason for the rising disputes that finally drew the attention of the State Election Commission.

Earlier, the late TDP candidate Vanapalli Ravikumar won from the 31st division, while late YSRCP candidate Dadi Surya Kumari won from the 61st division in the GVMC elections. After their demise, TDP Visakhapatnam parliamentary constituency president Palla Srinivasa Rao appealed to all the political parties to unanimously elect the family members of the deceased corporators on humanitarian grounds. Subsequently, the YSRCP too responded positively to it.

The 31st division was won by the TDP candidate Vanapalli Ravikumar and his wife V Gayatri Phani Kumari filed the nomination for the GVMC by-polls. The YSRCP candidate did not file nomination from this ward as per the understanding they had earlier.

Meanwhile, Bipin Kumar Jain submitted his nomination from the Congress Party and at the last minute the party decided to withdraw from the by-polls. But instead of withdrawing, Jain decided to contest as an independent candidate. He was allotted an almirah symbol at noon. On Monday night, the pre-by-poll exercise took a U turn. The almirah symbol of Bipin Kumar Jain was replaced with a fan symbol (YSRCP). The sudden move invited the wrath of the other political parties. Expressing ire over the overnight development, the TDP, JSP and Congress party leaders filed a complaint with the Election Commissioner and District Collector A Mallikarjuna.

TDP MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu, Palla Srinivasa Rao and other leaders demanded action against the Returning Officer, while the Congress Party leaders appealed to the authorities concerned to cancel the by-polls. Jana Sena Party leaders alleged that the ruling party failed to protect democratic values.

Apparently, how many twists the by-polls would further take remains to be watched.