TDP fields Kapu leader Srinivasa Prasad as Tirupati mayoral candidate

What Happened

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) announced Manne Srinivasa Prasad, also called JB Srinivas, as its mayoral candidate for the Tirupati Municipal Corporation elections on Wednesday, launching a brisk campaign to stay ahead of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). The YSRCP named Vasu Yadav, a little‑known party cadre, for the same post. YSRCP in‑charge Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said the choice follows the party’s pledge to give a backward‑class (BC) candidate the mayor’s seat, even though the position is not reserved. Sources note this move is a rare step of promoting a grassroots worker to the city’s first‑citizen role.

Reaction

Srinivasa Prasad was first the Assembly constituency convener before being shifted to the mayoral race. TDP hopes his popularity as a Kapu candidate will swing the vote, since Kapus form a large share of Tirupati’s electorate. Vasu Yadav had earlier staged a dharna outside Srinivasa Prasad’s house after a personal tiff a few months back. The YSRCP’s selection aims to lock in BC votes by closing the field to other aspirants.

Context

In Tirupati, caste groups such as Kapus and other backward classes often influence local elections. The mayor’s post, while not reserved, is seen as a prestigious civic role that can shape municipal decisions.