Vizag Corporators flown abroad ahead of Mayor trust vote

The TDP flew their corporators abroad to prevent cross-voting ahead of the April 19 Great Vishakapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) mayoral election. The YSRCP also plans to shift their corporators abroad as the both camps wanted to avoid poaching from the other side.

YSRCP holds 59 of 98 seats in the GVMC while TDP has 29, including support from three Janasena Party corporators.

"Twenty-five TDP corporators from Vishakapatnam went to Malaysia on a casual trip with families. I will also join them soon," a TDP corporator told PTI on Friday.

The TDP leader further said that the corporators were sent to avoid pressure and influence by the YSR Congress Party. Everyone is firm in their decision, the TDP corporator said.

Eleven corporators flew to Malaysia on Thursday. A TDP source said that the party would reimburse all the expenses of the travel and accommodation there.

To prevent potential cross-voting, YSRCP corporators were initially kept at a resort near Bengaluru, with plans to shift some of them to Sri Lanka on Saturday, party sources said.

The NDA coalition, led by the TDP, is eyeing to secure the mayorship of Vishakapatnam. The NDA won all seven assembly seats in 2024 polls.