TDP, YSRCP shift their Vizag corporators to Malaysia, Sri Lanka ahead of no-confidence motion

Visakhapatnam, April 11 (IANS) It’s common for political parties in India to shift their legislators to resorts and hotels in other states within the country ahead of trust votes to foil poaching attempts by their rivals, but what is being witnessed in Andhra Pradesh is unprecedented.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is heading the ruling coalition, and the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have shifted their corporators abroad.

Ahead of voting on the no-confidence motion against Visakhapatnam Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari on April 19, both parties are doing their best to keep their flocks together by moving their corporators to other countries.

YSRCP, which is making every possible effort to defeat the no-confidence motion in the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) council, has shifted its corporators to Sri Lanka from Karnataka, where they were earlier camping.

On the other hand, TDP has reportedly shifted its corporators to Malaysia from Bhogapuram, where they were initially camping.

The corporators have gone to Malaysia in two separate batches. They are accompanied by their families.

Political analysts say shifting corporators to other countries is something unheard of in Indian politics.

It’s not clear how many corporators the YSRCP could shift to Sri Lanka as the TDP-led NDA claims to be enjoying the support of a majority in the civic body.

Ever since capturing power in June last year, the TDP has been encouraging defections from YSRCP in local bodies in urban and rural areas. It, along with its allies Jana Sena and BJP, also managed to take control of several local bodies by moving a no-confidence motion against the chairpersons belonging to the YSRCP.

The TDP is trying to replicate this in GVMC, where Mayor Kumari and Deputy Mayors J Sridhar and K Satish belong to the YSRCP.

The YSRCP had 59 corporators in the 98-member GVMC while the TDP had 29 corporators. Jana Sena Party had three, and the BJP had one corporator. The CPI and the CPI(M) have one corporator each.

However, TDP has lured about 20 corporators of YSRCP to its camp during the last few weeks. Similarly, Jana Sena is said to have increased its strength to 11.

A total of 97 corporators (one ward is vacant) and 14 ex-officio members (MLAs and MPs) in the GVMC are eligible to cast the vote.

The NDA claims that their strength is about 73, including 48 corporators of TDP, 11 of Jana Sena and two of BJP. As many as 12 ex-officio members belong to the NDA.

The NDA, which needs 74 votes to win the no-confidence motion, is trying to lure a couple of corporators from rival camps. The ruling coalition is also looking to cash in on the reported dissidence within the YSRCP. Some corporators are said to be unhappy with the leadership and have even skipped the Sri Lanka camp.

The NDA corporators have also submitted a no-confidence motion notice to the Collector against Deputy Mayor J. Sridhar.

As many as 57 corporators have signed a petition. The meeting to discuss the no-confidence motion against the Deputy Mayor has been scheduled for April 26.

--IANS

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