Mohammed Waseem Saleem, a YSR Congress Party loyalist, was elected Mayor, and Dasari Vasanthi Sahithya Deputy Mayor of the Anantapur Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Thursday.
Mr. Waseem promised to take forward the development in the city that was being done by the Special Officer and Anantapur Urban MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy. Ms. Sahithya said 27 of the 50 members in the council were women and that she would work towards women empowerment.
The TDP, which had 32 ward members in the last council, could not win a single ward this time as the YSRCP won 48 wards, leaving two for independent candidates. Both of them supported the candidature of Mr. Waseem and Sahithya, when Presiding Officer and Collector Gandham Chandrudu urged the members to raise hands in support of the nominations for both Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts.
Ex-Officio members Mr. Venkatarami Reddy said that a bio-mining plant had been sanctioned to the AMC and tenders for the four-laning of the NH-42 passing through the city would be called within a month. “We will provide all possible help the new council members to improve the amenities in their wards as the people have reposed their faith in the YSRCP,” he added.
Now, it remains to be seen who will be nominated as the second Deputy Mayor. There were three other aspirants within the YSRCP —Chavva Rajasekhar Reddy, Kogatam Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, and Mahalakshmi Srinivas and Mr. Waseem, but the selection of Sahithya as Deputy Mayor was a surprise for many in the party.
Tight security
Unlike in the past, the entry of ‘unconnected’ persons into the Council Hall was barred and the entire process was conducted in a smooth manner with the police personnel keeping a watch over the people gathered outside the buildingEx-officio members Pamidi Samanthakamani and Vennapoosa Gopal Reddy attended the meeting
