TDP begins election campaign on brisk note in Tirupati to gain early advantage

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday began the campaign for the Tirupati Municipal Corporation elections on a brisk note ahead of the YSRC camp, in a bid to gain early advantage.

The party named its Assembly constituency convener Manne Srinivasa Prasad (JB Srinivas) for the Mayor’s post, while the YSRCP picked a lesser-known party cadre, Vasu Yadav.

Keeping up with his earlier promise to allot the Mayoral seat to a BC candidate, YSRCP in-charge Bhumana Karunakar Reddy named Vasu Yadav for the post, despite the seat remaining unreserved. According to sources from YSRCP circles, the move has been seen as a precedent in elevating an ordinary grassroot-level cadre to the post meant for the first citizen.

In sharp contrast, Srinivasa Prasad was initially made the in-charge of Assembly constituency, but was suddenly moved to the Mayor’s post.

The TDP reportedly expects the move to tilt the balance in favour of its candidate, as Srinivasa Prasad personally enjoys popularity as a Kapu candidate, a community that is numerically strong in Tirupati. In fact, the duo share a history as Vasu Yadav had staged a dharna in front of Srinivasa Prasad residence following a tiff a couple of months back.

Meanwhile, shutting the door on several other aspirants, the YSRCP chose Vasu’s candidature hoping to consolidate BC votes