Complications in Katari Kin Becoming Next Chittoor Mayor

Chittoor: With the mayor post falling vacant after the gruesome murder of mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband Mohan on November 17, the race for the chair is getting intensified within TDP.Though it is a tradition in political parties to give the post of any incumbent leader's death to their family members, there is some complication in the case of Chittoor mayor post.

The party has 36 corporators out of total 50 divisions and the new mayor will be elected only after an election is held for the 33rd division which was being represented by the slain mayor Anuradha. The mayor post is reserved for a BC woman.

Though Katari Mohan belongs to OC, his wife was considered a BC as her father belongs to a BC community and thus she was able to occupy the post. It is learnt that chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has already decided to give the post to someone from Anuradha family. In that case, Katari Mohan's niece Hemalatha will be eligible as her father also belongs to BC community. However, her social status needs to be scrutinized before proposing her to the election. Seven women corporators belonging to BC - from wards 3, 7, 27, 30, 42, 45, 47 and 48 - are already in the party. The various groups in the party are already making moves to install someone from their respective groups.

The Chittoor municipality was upgraded to municipal corporation in July 2012 and TDP secured majority in the elections in 2014. An election to the division will have to be held within six months from the date of its falling vacant.  

Meanwhile, the investigation in the mayor couple's murder case has not made any progress. Katari Mohan's nephew who plotted and executed the murder of mayor Anuradha and her husband is still at large.