Andhra Pradesh local body polls: TDP-led NDA wrests 12 of 13 Mayor posts; Anantapur only solace for YSRCP

TDP wins 2,571 of 3,897 wards for which poll results have been declared, while YSRCP secures 550 wards, JSP emerges victorious in 484 wards, and BJP grabs 153 wards; counting for Chirala municipality postponed to November 6

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has consolidated its political dominance in Andhra Pradesh by registering a thumping win in the urban local body elections. The alliance has wrested 12 of the 13 mayoral posts in the State and secured nearly two-thirds of the wards for which poll results have been declared.

The poll results, announced on November 4, represent a significant political setback for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which managed to win only the mayoral post in Anantapur, while the ruling alliance established control over major urban centres, including Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Nellore and Kadapa.

The TDP won 10 mayoral posts, while its partner Jana Sena Party (JSP) secured two in Vijayawada and Eluru. The TDP's dominance was equally evident in the ward-level results.

Of the 3,897 wards, the TDP won 2,571, accounting for nearly 66 per cent of the total. The YSRCP secured 550 wards, followed by the Jana Sena Party (484) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (153). Independents and smaller parties won the remaining 139 seats.

The results underline the TDP's ability to translate its position as the principal constituent of the ruling coalition into electoral gains across major cities and smaller municipalities. The JSp's victory in two municipal corporations have reinforced its presence within the alliance's urban political landscape.

The elections covered 13 municipal corporations and 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats, with more than 1.03 crore eligible voters. The overall polling percentage stood at 62.16. Municipalities recorded a higher turnout of 69.52 per cent as compared with 57.64 per cent in municipal corporations. Several municipalities recorded unanimous elections, leaving 92 civic bodies that had gone to the polls.

Braving cyclones

The polling was conducted amid administrative challenges caused by two successive cyclones. Cyclone Arnab disrupted preparations in 26 coastal and local bodies in Godavari district, while Cyclone Marasu brought heavy rain, disrupting counting processs in Vijayawada, Guntur and Chilakaluripet. The election authorities completed the process in 99 of the 100 notified urban local bodies. Counting for Chirala municipality has been postponed to November 6.

Elections in eight municipalities, including Proddatur, Rayachoty and Piduguralla, were unanimous. The State Election Commission (SEC) deployed webcasting and monitoring systems at sensitive polling stations, while municipal officials made arrangements to protect ballot boxes and counting infrastructure from the heavy rain.