Retired IPS officer A.B. Venkateswara Rao has formally requested the Congress party's support for his bid for the Vijayawada mayor position. He conveyed this appeal to Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila Reddy.
In a letter sent to Sharmila Reddy on Saturday, Venkateswara Rao mentioned that the CPI(M), CPI, and several public organizations had encouraged him to run as an independent candidate in the mayoral election.
Explaining his decision to contest, he alleged that the Telugu Desam, Jana Sena, and YSRC parties have aligned with what he described as fascist forces. He claimed this alliance poses a threat to the democratic, secular, and constitutional framework of society.
Venkateswara Rao expressed his hope that the Congress party's endorsement of his independent candidacy would contribute to safeguarding these democratic principles.
