TDP faces double challenge in Chittoor Mayoral contest

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) faces a double challenge in the upcoming Chittoor Mayoral contest. The TDP's alliance candidate, former Mayor Katari Hemalatha, is set to contest the election alongside local MLA Gurajala Jagan Mohan, who will represent the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for the post reserved for the General category. This double challenge arises from the TDP's need to combat the rival YSRCP and retain its own disappointed aspirants within the alliance.

Hemalatha, daughter-in-law of the late Mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband Katari Mohan, is the selection reflecting experience, community representation, and the necessity to balance rival claims. She has previously served as Mayor and is currently the Chairperson of Chittoor Urban Development Authority (CHUDA). However, her selection followed intense lobbying efforts from various local leaders, including the family of former MLA C.K. Babu, who sought the post for his wife Lavanya, and the late Cherukuri Vasanth Kumar’s family.

Despite the selection of Hemalatha, the decision has not quelled the ambitions of those who were overlooked. It remains to be seen whether those dissatisfied with the decision will campaign for Hemalatha or not. Resentment, limited mobilization, or cross-voting among supporters could hinder the alliance's efforts.

The TDP leadership hopes that the 2024 Assembly result will play in their favor, as Gurajala Jagan Mohan, the TDP candidate for Chittoor, won the constituency with a significant majority of 14,604 votes. The alliance relies on electoral strength, development claims, and Hemalatha's extensive network to secure victory. However, the wave of sympathy for Hemalatha following her in-laws' brutal murder in November 2015 is unlikely to influence voters a decade later.

The YSRCP, led by Chandrasekhar, is targeting the grievances of residents affected by major road-widening works. They aim to use these grievances as an election issue, particularly among the dominant 'Vannekula Kshatriya' community in Chittoor corporation limits. The TDP's Chittoor in-charge, M. Vijayananda Reddy, has launched an aggressive campaign to support Hemalatha, while hoping to capitalize on internal divisions within the ruling alliance and consolidate support among various sections of the community.