In a major setback to the opposition in Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the ruling YSRCP made inroads into its bastion — Kuppam — the constituency of the senior leader. In the municipal elections which were held on Monday, November 15, the YSRCP won 19 out of the 25 wards in the newly-formed civic body. This was the maiden election in Kuppam municipality, which was upgraded from a Nagar Panchayat to Grade 3 Municipality. While Kuppam has 25 wards, elections were held only in 24 wards. The 14th ward was declared as a unanimous election for YSRCP after the nomination of the TDP candidate was rejected.
Kuppam in Chittoor district has been a stronghold of the TDP for the past three decades. The electoral battle in Kuppam was seen as a prestigious one, with TDP and YSRCP fighting it out. In Kuppam, the YSRCP maintained its lead right from the beginning since the counting started.
Elections were held in 12 municipalities — Akiveedu, Jaggaihpet, Kondapalli, Dachepalli, Gurzala, Buchireddypalem, Darsi, Kuppam, Bethamcherla, Kamalapuram, Rajampeta and Penukonda municipalities. Out of these, the Jagan-led party won in Kuppam, Akiveedu, Jaggaihpet, Kondapalli, Dachepalli, Gurzala, Buchireddypalem, Bethamcherla, Kamalapuram, Rajampet and Penukonda municipal corporations. A jubilant YSRCP said that the verdict was a referendum of the people to show support to their party.
“What comes as a major blow to the TDP and a humongous victory for the YSRCP is the yellow outfit dismally losing Chandrababu Naidu’s home constituency’s municipal corporation, Kuppam,” the YSRCP said in a statement. It added, “The ruling party considers this to be a referendum that the citizens have used to display their unconditional support to the CM and his party, due to the governance that has been delivered since May, 2019, the welfare schemes that have been extended and developmental initiatives that have been undertaken.”
Elated with the verdict, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “Because of God's grace and the blessings of all the people, today we were able to achieve this incredible victory. Along with the villages, the urban cities have also extended their support to this functioning government. Thank you to everyone who gave us 97 out of 100 marks in municipalities, corporations and Nagar Panchayats,” Jagan said in a tweet.
దేవుడి దయ, ప్రజలందరి చల్లని దీవెనలు... ఇవే ఈ రోజు ఇంతటి ఘన విజయాన్ని అందించాయి. గ్రామంతో పాటు నగరం కూడా పనిచేస్తున్న ప్రభుత్వానికి అండగా నిలిచింది. మున్సిపాలిటీలు, కార్పొరేషన్లు, నగర పంచాయతీల్లో 100కు 97 మార్కులు వేసిన అవ్వాతాతలు, అక్కాచెల్లెళ్ళు, సోదరులందరికీ ధన్యవాదాలు.
— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) November 17, 2021
Meanwhile, Nara Lokesh, TDP General Secretary and son of Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the YSRCP won the Kuppam constituency through rigging, spending several hundred crores rupees, and nexus of police and administration.
దొంగ ఓట్లు,వంద‌ల కోట్లు,గూండాగిరీ, అధికారులు-పోలీసుల అండ‌తో కుప్పంలో గెలిచామ‌ని,ప్రజలు లోకేష్ రెండు చెంపలు పగలగొట్టారని శున‌కానందంలో ఉన్నారు వైసీపీ నేతలు.రాష్ట్ర వ్యాప్తంగా ప్రజలు ఫ్యాన్‌కి వ్యతిరేకంగా ఓటేసి,@ysjagan బట్టలూడదీసి వాయ‌గొట్టార‌నేది బులుగుబుర్రలకి ఎప్పుడెక్కుతుందో?
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) November 17, 2021