An unexpected candidate has entered Vijayawada’s mayoral race, shaking up the contest between YSR Congress Party and the NDA. AB Venkateswara Rao, a former top police officer with a history of legal clashes against the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, is running as an Independent candidate with the backing of CPI, CPI(M), and Congress.
Background and Support
Known as ABV, Rao is a retired 1989-batch IPS officer supported by three political parties that withdrew their own candidates to back him. His opponents include Jana Sena Party’s Vangaveeti Radha Mohan Rao (Jr) and incumbent mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi from YSRCP, both of whom have political backgrounds. Rao’s entry marks a shift, as he brings over 30 years of public service experience instead.
Rao holds advanced degrees including an MTech from IIT Delhi and postgraduate studies in Economics. His career highlights include serving as Andhra Pradesh’s Intelligence Chief and Commissioner of Printing and Stationery. He also participated in UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Kosovo, earning a UN Medal. Post-retirement, he became Chairman of the Centre for Liberty, a public policy think tank, in 2024.
Political Strategy and Vision
Although Rao registered a political party, he has not formally announced it yet, stating he will do so after finalizing organisational and financial matters. In media posts and interviews, Rao emphasized the need for systemic reform in municipal governance, promoting transparency and direct public service.
Explaining his independent stance, Rao said, “Politics is not my goal; building a better society is my objective.” He noted that the Vijayawada mayoral post is being directly elected by the people for the first time, due to a 2026 NITI Aayog framework for million-plus cities.
At multiple rallies, Rao outlined plans to address corruption and inefficiency. He favors crowdfunding over traditional money politics and draws from his administrative expertise to improve city governance.
Reactions from Observers
Praveen Prakash, a retired IAS officer associated with the Congress, praised Rao’s decision to take a direct political role, calling it a significant personal sacrifice. Prakash stated that a victory for Rao would be a major win for Vijayawada and affirmed Rao’s determination.
From Intelligence Chief to Political Challenger
Rao’s anti-establishment stance stems partly from his conflicts with the YSRCP government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy from 2019 to 2024. Accused by the YSRCP of misconduct and political bias during his tenure as ADGP (Intelligence) under the TDP government, Rao denied all allegations.
Following the YSRCP’s 2019 victory, Rao faced suspension amid accusations of treason linked to a procurement scandal. He challenged the suspension through legal channels, winning a Supreme Court order in 2022 that mandated reinstatement. Despite further delays, the Central Administrative Tribunal quashed his suspension, and he was finally reinstated on his retirement day in May 2024.
After the TDP-led NDA returned to power, Rao declined a nominated post and decided to contest the mayoral election instead.
Political Implications
Dr K Narayana of CPI praised Rao’s independent run, highlighting its potential to transform his public image into a people’s champion. Political analyst K.S. Prasad explained that the support from CPI, CPI(M), and Congress was a strategic move grounded in their links with Vijayawada’s unions historically tied to Communist parties.
Prasad also noted that Rao’s Kamma community background could affect voting dynamics by splitting the anti-incumbency vote away from the YSRCP.
Rao’s suspension had raised speculation of caste-based politics impacting his career during the YSRCP’s tenure.
