Vijayawada mayoral race becomes three-way contest

The Vijayawada mayoral election has evolved into a three-way contest following the entry of retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao as an independent candidate. Rao, who previously served as Vijayawada Police Commissioner, has secured backing from the Congress party and Left parties, including the CPI and CPM.

Competing candidates include Vangaveeti Radha Krishna, representing the ruling TDP-Jana Sena-BJP alliance, and former mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi, nominated by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). The municipal elections are scheduled for October 28.

The political alignments have drawn criticism from former MP Vijayasai Reddy, who questioned the strategic logic of the various parties. Reddy accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of political maneuvering and highlighted contradictions in the support provided by the Congress-led INDIA alliance and the YSRCP regarding Rao’s candidacy.