Women’s quota for GVMC Mayor post sets off lobbying; senior leaders push spouses and daughters

Officials receive election material at the Swarna Bharathi Indoor Stadium in Visakhapatnam ahead of the local body elections. File | Photo Credit: V. Raju Following the announcement that the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Mayor’s post has been reserved for the Women (General) category for the local body elections, aspiring candidates from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP),Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) have begun lobbying their respective party leaderships for the coveted position.Several aspirants are reportedly seeking the nomination. The TDP is keen on securing the mayoral post, citing its strong electoral performance in the core city areas of Visakhapatnam for the past two decades.The contest for the position is also assuming significance because the Mayor will be elected directly by voters under the proposed election process, unlike the previous system in which elected corporators chose the Mayor from among themselves.Before the announcement of reservations, several former MLAs and senior leaders from the alliance parties were reportedly interested in contesting the local body elections themselves. But with the Mayor’s post now reserved for women under the General category, some senior leaders are understood to be considering fielding their spouses, daughters or other eligible family members for the position.Within the TDP, the family members of a senior leader belonging to the Backward Classes (BC) community are among those being considered. The spouses of two former MLAs are also reportedly in the fray. In addition, the party is said to be exploring the possibility of fielding the wife of a prominent young leader from Visakhapatnam, whose family has a strong political background.A former TDP corporator, who is the daughter of a senior party leader from the Visakhapatnam North Assembly constituency, has also been among the aspirants since the beginning of the exercise.“Visakhapatnam has been a fortress for the TDP. Even when the YSRCP registered a wave in the 2019 elections, the TDP won all the four core Assembly constituencies in Visakhapatnam City. So, it is fair for the party to seek the Mayor’s post,” a senior TDP leader said.The BJP, which is expected to contest around 10 to 15 seats in the local body elections, is also keen to stake a claim to the Mayor’s post. It is learnt that the daughter of a senior BJP leader, who has been active in politics, is interested in the position. Party leaders are reportedly considering the possibility of putting forward her candidature as part of the alliance’s negotiations.The JSP, too, is keen on securing the mayoral nomination and is understood to be seeking an opportunity for one of its women leaders to contest for the post. A former corporator and another active JSP leader from the Visakhapatnam North constituency are reportedly receiving support from sections of the party leadership.Several YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders are also lobbying for the mayoral nomination and are understood to have conveyed their interest to the party’s senior leadership. Some party leaders are reportedly proposing the candidature of a woman from the family of a senior Uttarandhra YSRCP leader as the party considers its options.The meeting between YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and local party leaders and aspirants on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) is expected to provide greater clarity on the party’s strategy, according to local leaders. Published - October 13, 2026 06:12 pm IST