YSRCP likely to retain local body MLC seat of Vizianagaram district

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is expected to retain the MLC seat of Vizianagaram local body constituency for which the Election Commission of India (ECI) is scheduled to issue a notification soon.

The election code has already come into force and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s official tour in Gajapathinagaram was cancelled due to the implementation of the code.

Former MLC Indukuri Raghuraju who represented the constituency previously was disqualified as YSRCP leadership approached the High Court of Andhra Pradesh with an allegation that he was indulging in anti-party activities.

YSRCP won all 34 ZPTC seats and emerged victorious in 389 MPTC seats out of 389 in the election held two and half years ago. The strength in the local bodies will help YSRCP to gain an upper hand in the election under normal circumstances.

The party may consider the name of former MLA of S. Kota Kadubandi Srinivasa Rao as he had strong differences with Mr. Indukuri Raghuraju and complained against him to the party high command.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao belonged to the Koppula Velama community which has a strong presence in the district. The party may look into the candidature of former MP Bellana Chandrasekhar who belonged to the Kapu community.

YSRCP high command is expected to consider other names also if Telugu Desam Party (TDP) fields its candidate. TDP State secretary Gompa Krishna who could not get S.Kota seat may request the party to consider his name for the local body MLC seat.

A few TDP leaders felt that the TDP high command was not keen on the election while referring to the recently held local body MLC seat election in Visakhapatnam. Former Minister Botcha Satyanarayana was elected unanimously for the post as the TDP had not fielded its candidate. “There is little chance for TDP to win the seat as YSRCP has absolute strength in local bodies. So, the ruling party may stay away from the election,” said a source in TDP.