Visakhapatnam to hold first direct mayoral election in 26 years

Visakhapatnam is set to break a quarter-century tradition by holding a direct mayoral election, marking the first such poll since 2000 when Rajana Ramani was elected to lead the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. The upcoming election will see the mayor's position reserved exclusively for women candidates, representing a significant shift in the city's municipal governance structure. The move comes as civic authorities prepare for a major electoral exercise in the coastal Andhra Pradesh city. Palla Srinivasa Rao, president of the Telugu Desam Party's state unit, has outlined the alliance's vision for the municipality, emphasizing water supply as a principal focus area. The TDP-led coalition has identified infrastructure development and civic services as central themes in its electoral campaign, with water resource management emerging as a critical policy plank ahead of the polls. The direct election format represents a departure from the indirect selection processes that have governed the mayoral position over the past quarter century, restoring a more democratic approach to municipal leadership selection in Visakhapatnam.