Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had given a master stroke to his rivals, particularly the opposition TDP in the civic polls.
As the municipalities and the municipal corporations have met for the first time for the swearing-in of the new members, Jagan Mohan Reddy picked up women to head these civic bodies.
Jagan Mohan Reddy had named women and BCs for more than 70 per cent of the local bodies as chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of the municipalities and mayors and deputy mayors of the municipal corporations.
While giving highest priority like this had never happened in the past, giving highest priority to women and BCs would go long way in fetching votes for Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Keeping aside the dominant Reddy and Kamma castes, the chief minister had picked up women candidates and the candidates from the BCs to head these civic bodies.
As the women and BCs took over the reins of the local bodies on Thursday across the state, the message that Jagan gave highest priority to them went well into these sections of the people, giving an edge to the chief minister over his rivals.
By nominating women and BCs as mayors and chairpersons, Jagan Mohan Reddy must have thought of giving no room for corruption in local bodies.
Keeping corruption out of administration must have been the reason behind Jagan Mohan Reddy opting for the women and BCs as heads of the local bodies.
Whatever his intentions are, the swearing-in of women and BCs across the state on the day, pushed Jagan to the top of the electoral ladder and keeping his rivals at the bottom.