NDA confident of unseating YCP Mayor in Vizag on April 19

Visakhapatnam: The stage is set for no-trust vote against Visakhapatnam Mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari, four years after she completed her tenure with the constituents of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) exuding confidence to unseat her at the council meeting on April 19 due to what they termed, growing resentment among the corporators against corrupt practices indulged by her.

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is the largest urban civic body in Andhra Pradesh. The corporation recently adopted a budget for Rs.4,762 crore for 2025-26. It received a record property tax revenue of Rs510 crore during 2024-25.

With TDP and YSRCP, the arch rivals in the council, alleged attempts to poach members from their camps, both the parties have for the first time moved their corporators abroad. While YSRCP corporators owing allegiance to the Mayor have been taken by the party leadership first to Bengaluru and later to Colombo (Sri Lanka), the TDP has flown its corporators to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).

During a media interaction, YSRCP district president and former Minister Gudivada Amarnath, Hari Venkata Kumari and former MLA Karnam Dharmasri hinted at the possibility of boycotting the council meeting.DA

On the other hand, TDP State president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao, Visakha East MLA V. Ramakrishna Babu and Visakha North MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao separately exuded confidence on the passage of no-confidence motion against the Mayor and election of aliance's candidate as the next Mayor. TDP has also served separate notices against Deputy Mayors J Sridhar and K Satish, who were elected on YSRCP ticket.

NDA sources said TDP floor leader and 96th ward corporator Peela Srinivasa Rao is likely to be fielded as the unanimous choice by the alliance as their candidate for the Mayoral post.

In the council, out of a total strength of 98, one post is vacant. YSRCP at the time of GVMC elections, had 59 corporators followed by TDP 29, Jana Sena Party 3, BJP, CPI and CPI (M) one each. However, after the general elections, as many as 20 YSRCP corporators defected to the TDP and five to JSP corporator

JSP floor leader Peethala Murthy Yadav said though they are part of NDA coalition, they have not joined TDP corporators during their camping in Malaysia as their party is against 'camp politics.'

Avanti's daughter quits YSRCP

In a jolt to YSRCP hours before the no-confidence being moved by the NDA constituents against Mayor, Dr Lakshmi Priyanka, corporator resigned from the party.

Her resignation came as a setback to YSRCP at a time when the strength of TDP, BJP and Jana Sena is increasing with more number of corporators from YSRCP either defecting or announcing their support to the no-confidence motion against Mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari. Priyanka is daughter of former Minister Muttamsetti (Avanti) Srinivasa Rao, who resigned from the YSRCP some time ago.

Meanwhile, TDP MLA from Visakha North Ganta Srinivasa Rao said they have majority support in the GVMC council as many have decided to leave YSRCP due to corrupt practices resorted by the Mayor. On the other hand, YSRCP MLC Botha Satyanarayana alleged that the ruling coalition was indulging in horse-trading by intimidating and coercing YSRCP corporators.