TIRUPATI: The kin of several politicians are testing their fortunes in the Tirupati Municipal Corporation (TMC) election, slated for March 10. Prominent names include Bhumana Abhinay Reddy, son of YSR Congress MLA and former TTD trust board Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy and B. Venkata Keerthi, granddaughter of former TDP legislator M. Sugunamma.
Though the YSR Congress party candidates have won 22 of the 50 divisions, which are up for grabs, unanimously, the MLA is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a big win for the ruling party. He has been personally campaigning in all the wards and reaching out to every household, explaining the welfare schemes being implemented by the state government.
His political heir Abhinay Reddy is making his electoral debut from the 4th division. As no candidate from the opposition parties has filed nomination in this division, his winning has become a near foregone conclusion. However, the youth leader has been leading the party’s campaign by touring all the divisions.
Abhinay is confident of winning all the 27 divisions in the city, banking on the state government’s welfare schemes.
“Panchayat polls proved that YSRC was the clear winner and with people’s blessings, the winning streak will continue in TMC. The state government has been providing welfare schemes to all eligible people, irrespective of caste, religion and party affiliation. On top of it, people are satisfied with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s good governance”, he asserted.
Venkata Keerthi is contesting from the 18th division, which is witnessing a keen triangular contest between YSRC, TD and Jana Sena. The ruling party has fielded S. Sulochana while the Jana Sena nominee is K. Mani Deepthi, all of whom are in the fray for the time. The 18th division was once a TD bastion.
Meanwhile, former TUDA chairman and TD leader G. Narasimha Yadav’s sister-in-law G. Shanthi is contesting on behalf of the TD in the second division. Another brother of Narasimha Yadav, M. Krishna is contesting from the third division. Similarly, Congress leader and RPS convener P. Naveen Kumar Reddy’s brother P. Bhuvan Kumar Reddy is in the fray in 28th division as an independent candidate.
