Naidu, Pawan hold talks on strategy for local body polls

Metro India News | AMARAVATI : With Andhra Pradesh gearing up for local body elections, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Minister Nara Lokesh held a crucial meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence in Undavalli on Tuesday to chalk out the alliance’s electoral strategy and coordination mechanism.

Pawan Kalyan arrived at Naidu’s residence in the morning and was received by the Chief Minister and Lokesh. The three leaders held discussions over breakfast, with the upcoming local body elections and the alliance’s preparedness reportedly dominating the deliberations.

A key issue discussed was seat-sharing among the NDA partners. Rather than following a rigid percentage-based formula, the alliance is understood to be considering allocation of seats based on the ground-level strength of the constituent parties in individual constituencies and local bodies. The objective is to avoid friendly contests and ensure that the TDP, Jana Sena and BJP work in coordination.

The initial focus is expected to be on municipal corporations and municipalities, which are likely to go to polls in the first phase once the legal and administrative process is cleared.

The meeting assumes significance amid the continuing uncertainty over BC reservations in local bodies. The State government has approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court verdict that struck down the enhanced 34 per cent BC quota to the extent that total reservations crossed the 50 per cent ceiling. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the State’s plea later this week.

The alliance leadership is preparing for the possibility that the election process could accelerate following the Supreme Court’s decision. Accordingly, discussions also centred on strengthening organisational coordination at the State, district and constituency levels.