Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Sunday scored a landslide victory in the urban local body elections by winning almost all the 11 municipal corporations and at least 70 of the 75 municipalities. The ruling party, which captured Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in all the districts, won the majority of the divisions.
In a couple of municipalities, the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) could give some fight to YSRCP. However, the Jana Sena Party (JSP) of actor politician Pawan Kalyan and its ally BJP faced a major defeat.
The ruling party bagged seven corporations and was leading in four others. Counting was not taken up in Eluru corporation and Chilkaluripet municipality due to High Court orders.
YSRCP captured Guntur, Chittoor, Tirupati, Kadapa, Ongole, Anantapur and Kurnool corporations, and was leading in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada too. YSRCP also won 67 out of 70 municipalities.
In the 57-member Guntur Municipal Corporation, the ruling party swept the polls by winning 44 seats. TDP managed to win 9 divisions while JSP bagged 2 and others 2.
All eyes were on Vijayawada and Guntur corporations as the outcome will virtually be seen as a referendum on the contentious state capital issue. TDP sought the votes in these corporations to reject YSRCP government's move to trifurcate state capital Amaravati.
It was a YSRCP wave in all three regions of the state. In the 50-member Tirupati corporation, YSRCP won 47 seats while TDP could secure just one. In Anantapur, YSRCP won 48 out of 50 seats. Similarly in Chittoor, YSRCP won 46 out of 50 divisions.
The TDP managed to win the Tadipatri municipality in Anantapur district, and Mydukur municipality in Kadapa district.
As the results and trends from across the state show a clear sweep by YRSCP, celebrations broke out at the party's office at Tadepalli. Party workers burst crackers, distributed sweets and danced to the drum beats to celebrate the victory.
The poll officials will be counting a total of 27,29,071 votes in 533 divisions of 11 corporations. Similarly, 21,03,284 votes will be counted in 1,633 wards in 71 municipalities.
As the municipal elections were held nearly two years after YSRCP came to power, the ruling party attributed the results to people's support to its governance.
YSRCP said the massive results in its favour is due to the implementation of welfare schemes by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The TDP has alleged that the YSRCP’s victory was due to manipulation of officials and ward volunteers and threats to local leaders. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu said that TDP workers put up a tough fight “despite rowdyism, threats and misuse of authority.”