KURNOOL: With the Telugu Desam’s thumping victory in the general elections, local leaders have set their sights on the Kurnool Mayor post. Aiming to pass on a no-confidence motion against the current Mayor BY Ramaiah, TDP leaders led by MLA TG Bharat have begun their efforts to lobby in dissatisfied Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) YSRC ward councillors into their party.
So far three ward councillors have changed their loyalties to TDP immediately after the election results, while four other councillors already left the YSRC before results. Consequently, Mayor BY Ramaiah is left uncertain about whether he will retain his position.
KMC has 52 wards including, 33 under Kurnool limits, 16 under Panyam and three under Kodumur jurisdiction.
In the 2021 municipal elections, YSRC secured victory in 44 wards and elected BY Ramaiah as Mayor. Holding eight wards, TDP is now reportedly lobbying the ward YSRC councillors to lay their hands on the Mayor post.
As part of the plan, the TDP leaders has been inviting interested YSRC councillors into the party offering them a good position and funds to develop their respective colonies.
With this, councillors from 22, 17, 30 and 38 wards joined the TDP before election results and councillors from 3, 6 and 13 wards joined post verdict.
With the new arrivals, the number of TDP ward councillors have jumped to 15 from eight and is expected to reach the magic figure of 26 in the next couple of weeks, opined political analysts.
The TDP is planning to set a precedent for the post by calling in a no-confidence motion before the council meeting scheduled to be conducted in the last week of July.
It is learnt that MLA Bharath has reportedly offered the Mayor post to a member of Muslim community to garner the support of Muslims.
