MLC election from Visakhapatnam local bodies scheduled to be held on August 30 turns out to be an acid test to the Telugu Desam Party, which has recently returned to power with overwhelming support. As this will be the first electoral battle between TDP and YCP, after the latter witnessing a disastrous defeat in the polls, both the camps are mobilizing their strengths to show their might.
As YCP is having a clear edge in the local bodies, it turned out to be a big political challenge for the TDP. If there is a defeat, it will be the first defeat for the coalition government and also will boost up the morale of the YCP cadre.
As this was happening in Telangana after Congress came to power with the BRS winning MLC seat, TDP is cautiously moving in the polls so as making every effort to attract YCP elected representatives in local bodies.
Even though the opposition YCP has more members of the local bodies, will they all vote for the YCP candidate? Such a suspicion is haunting YCP leadership. Recently a bunch of YCP municipal corporators in Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) have migrated to TDP and Jana Sena.
If TDP succeeded in attracting YCPs MPTCs and ZPTCs to cross over their party affiliation, it would be difficult for the YCP to win this MLC seat. A total of 814 votes are there for the post of MLC of Visakhapatnam local bodies. As per present strength, while YCP is having 615 of them, TDP’s strength is limited to 215.
Due to its absolute majority, YCP candidates need to be elected very easily. When the MLC election was held in 2020, TDP boycotted the poll realizing its poor stakes and YCP candidate Vamsi Krishna Srinivas was elected unanimously.
But before the assembly elections, he resigned from the YCP and joined the Jana Sena. On behalf of Jana Sena, he contested as Visakha South MLA candidate and won. As a result, a by-election is needed.