Senior leaders, MLAs hit the campaign trial for GVMC polls

Mayor candidates intensify door-to-door outreach and community meetings; sitting MLAs and senior leaders join the campaign to boost the prospects of alliance nominees

The election campaign for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) polls is gathering momentum, with candidates stepping up their efforts to woo voters through door-to-door visits, public meetings and interactions with residential welfare associations, and community gatherings across the city.

The postponement of the polling date has given candidates additional time to reach out to voters, explain their priorities and seek support. Senior leaders, sitting MLAs and other elected representatives have also joined the campaign, lending their support to candidates and attempting to consolidate the respective parties' voter bases.

TDP Mayor candidate Mukka Sravani began her campaign activities on Friday by meeting Home Minister V. Anitha at the latter's residence in the city. Ms. Anitha interacted extended her support and urged Ms. Sravani to explain the development initiatives undertaken by the NDA government over the past two-and-a-half years to the people and communicate the alliance's priorities to voters.

Later, Ms. Sravani joined Jana Sena Party (JSP) corporator candidate from Ward 40, Beesetti Vasantha Lakshmi, in campaigning in the South Zone.

Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat also participated in the campaign, extending support to the alliance candidates as they reached out to residents and sought their backing in the ensuing civic elections.

Meanwhile, YSRCP Mayor candidate Varudu Kalyani, accompanied by Visakhapatnam YSRCP president K.K. Raju, campaigned in Madhavadhara and Murali Nagar in the North Assembly constituency on Friday. The leaders interacted with residents and appealed to them to support the party's candidates in the civic polls.

MLAs join campaign

Sitting MLAs and senior leaders have been actively participating in electioneering, extending support to corporator candidates in their respective Assembly constituencies and helping coordinate campaign activities.

BJP MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju was seen participating in a tour campaign across various wards in the city along with BJP corporator candidates, interacting with residents and seeking support for the party in their respective wards.

In the Bheemunipatnam Assembly constituency, MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao and his son and TDP leader Ganta Ravi Teja have been actively campaigning for party candidates. Their campaign activities included voter outreach and meetings in support of the TDP nominees. New entrants into the party have also been joining the campaign, with the leadership seeking to strengthen its position in the constituency.

In the South Assembly constituency, former MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar has been campaigning for several YSRCP candidates over the past few days. A series of meetings and local-level campaign programmes have been organised as part of efforts to mobilise support for the party nominees.