The TDP has nominated former MLA S.A. Rahaman as the party’s urban district president for Visakhapatnam city. The order is effective from Tuesday.
Welcoming the move, Ms. Rahaman said, “I held the post in 2001. I will do my best to serve the interest of the party.”
However, many see it as a damage control exercise by the TDP. It was two weeks ago when Ms. Rahaman and party’s former city president Zaheer Ahmed openly criticised the TDP leadership for not giving an MLA ticket to a candidate from the minority community.
Visakhapatnam South Assembly segment has a sizeable Muslim population. Of the total electorate of about 1.88 lakh, more than 15,000 are Muslim voters.
“The TDP can’t keep the Muslims dissatisfied, especially in the South constituency, when the sitting TDP MLA is pitched against Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao of the YSR Congress Party,” sources in the party said. Both Ms. Rahaman and Mr. Zaheer are said to be popular leaders in this segment.