If reports from political circles are to be believed, Jana Sena Party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has reportedly sought mayoral and municipal chairperson posts, along with 50 per cent of councillor or corporator seats, in areas represented by Jana Sena MLAs in the upcoming local body elections in Andhra Pradesh.
The issue reportedly came up for discussion during a meeting between Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan at the former’s camp office in Undavalli, where preparations for the upcoming local body elections and coordination among the ruling alliance partners were among the key topics.
The meeting assumes significance as it was their first major interaction after a considerable gap.
The two leaders reportedly had breakfast together and discussed preparations for the local body polls.
They are understood to have discussed coordination among the three alliance partners — the TDP, Jana Sena and BJP — as well as the possibility of contesting the elections jointly.
The appointment of alliance coordination committees at the state, district and constituency levels was also discussed. In the first phase, elections are expected to be held to municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats.
According to sources, the alliance partners are considering an arrangement under which seats would be allocated based on the relative strength of the respective parties in different areas rather than strictly following a fixed percentage formula.
The alliance partners have already indicated that their primary objective is to win the local body elections and prevent the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) from securing any major local body posts.
There is speculation within alliance circles that Pawan Kalyan may have handed over to Chandrababu Naidu a list of seats that Jana Sena is seeking as part of the seat-sharing exercise.
Following his meeting with Pawan Kalyan, Naidu met TDP leaders who are members of the alliance coordination committee, including TDP Andhra Pradesh president Palla Srinivasa Rao, Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu and others.
The Chief Minister sought details of the progress made in the coordination committee meetings held at the constituency and district levels.
Palla Srinivasa Rao and Nimmala Ramanaidu briefed him on the discussions and the broad consensus reached during those meetings.
One of the key issues raised before the Chief Minister was seat-sharing in municipalities and municipal corporations located in constituencies represented by Jana Sena MLAs.
The coordination committee members reportedly told Naidu that Jana Sena expects the chairperson posts as well as 50 per cent of corporator seats in areas represented by its MLAs.
According to Jana Sena’s argument, such an arrangement would enable the elected MLA and the municipal chairperson to work in better coordination. The BJP, however, is understood to have a different view on the issue.
The BJP reportedly feels that where the party already has an MLA, its political leadership is established and, therefore, chairperson and corporator posts could instead be allocated to it in other areas.
According to the BJP’s strategy, such an arrangement would help strengthen its local leadership in constituencies where it does not currently have an MLA.
The coordination committee members informed Naidu that meetings at the constituency and district levels had been completed and that state-level meetings would be held in the next couple of days.
They also pointed out that a final decision on candidates and seat allocation could be taken only after the reservation process is completed.
