TDP Mayor candidate pledges pothole-free, garbage-free Guntur

Kovelamudi Lakshmi Aparna, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate for the Guntur Municipal Corporation Mayor post in the ongoing urban local body elections, on Wednesday promised to prioritise a clean drainage system, pothole-free roads, effective garbage management and improved drinking water supply if elected.

Acknowledging the drinking water problems faced by residents in parts of the city, Ms. Aparna, in an interaction with The Hindu in Guntur on Wednesday, said ensuring corporation tap water supply would be among her primary priorities. During her election campaign, she also promised to improve the condition of damaged roads by developing them with either cement concrete or bituminous topping (BT).

Plastic waste collection drives

Despite measures to enforce a complete ban on single-use plastic, plastic waste remained a major challenge in the city, she said. Ms. Aparna promised to initiate steps to restrict the use of plastic hoardings and undertake special drives for the collection and removal of plastic waste.

Thanking Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for reposing confidence in her abilities by selecting her as the party's mayoral candidate, the outgoing Mayor of Guntur, Kovelamudi Ravindra, popularly known as Nani’s wife, said that she would strive to ensure “Nani 2.0” in the city's administration.

Mr. Ravindra assumed office as Mayor in April 2025 and served for a relatively short period. With the mayoral post reserved for a general-category woman in the current election, Ms. Aparna has secured an opportunity to contest for the position. She said her focus would be on addressing basic civic issues and improving sanitation, road infrastructure and drinking water supply to make Guntur cleaner and more liveable.