Jana Sena, BJP likely to seek 25 of 62 divisions in Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation polls

The Jana Sena Party (JSP) and the BJP are likely to seek 25 of 62 divisions in the Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation, hoping to show their strength in the coming municipal elections. The number of divisions has risen from 50 to 62 after delimitation by the Corporation. Both parties may press the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for more seats during talks among NDA partners.

Both parties had no representation in the Corporation, and the TDP was confined to one division in the previous local body elections, because of the YSRCP wave; the party won 49 of 50 divisions. The JSP, which gained popularity after the 2024 general elections, is keen to grow at the grassroots level. A high-level team headed by Anakapalli MLA Konatala Ramakrishna recently met party leaders and sought their views.

The BJP hopes to make gains if allocated eight to ten divisions. The JSP, planning to ask for around 20 seats, hopes for at least a dozen. The TDP has said it cannot allocate more seats to its alliance partners because of competition among its own probable candidates. “The candidates who were defeated in the 2019 elections are likely to push for seats this time. So, it is not so easy to allocate more seats for the JSP and the BJP,” a TDP leader said.

The BJP has also focused on Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) elections, and is building local leadership in several mandals. BJP Vizianagaram District president Rajesh Varma recently appointed Pakalapati Ravi Varma as the party’s Gantyada mandal president. Party senior leader Bobbili Srinu said the BJP’s image had improved in rural areas of Vizianagaram district because of development activities such as the construction of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh in Chinamedapalli, near Gajapathinagaram of the district.