YSRCP sweeps Andhra urban body polls, bags 74 municipalities, 11 corporations

The ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has registered an unprecedented victory in the urban body elections by winning 74 out of 75 municipalities and 11 out of 12 municipal corporations in Andhra Pradesh. The opposition Telugu Desam Party, which put up a poor show in the village panchayat elections two weeks ago, showed a similar performance in the towns and cities, which were considered its strongholds for decades.

Right from Srikakulam to Kurnool, YSRCP bagged all but two of the 75 municipalities and 12 municipal corporations. This is the straight third time in 21 months that the YSRCP decimated the opposition TDP. First it was in the 2019 assembly elections, then the village panchayat elections last month and now the municipal polls.

There were celebrations in the YSRCP headquarters at Tadepalli in Amaravati and at its offices across the state.

“Urban local bodies too are ours,” declared party general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Vijaya Sai Reddy as the ministers and party functionaries enjoyed sweets at their respective places. Another general secretary S Ramakrishna Reddy described it as a positive vote to Jagan’s rule.

TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu thanked the party leaders and cadres for putting up relentless efforts for the party, sometimes risking lives. He said there was nothing to be disappointed about but, the party should go on working for the victory.

Counting in Eluru corporation was withheld due to High Court orders.

Though TDP won 12 wards and YSRCP won 11 wards in Mydukur municipality in chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s native Kadapa district, the YSRCP candidate will become chairperson with Ex Officio Votes.

The elections were held after 20 months of YSRCP governance and the results stood as benchmark for the governance of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

YSRCP leaders claimed that the victory in Visakhapatnam is proof to the fact that people have welcomed Jagan Mohan Reddy to make Visakhapatnam the executive capital of Andhra Pradesh.

“The massive victory is due to the implementation of welfare schemes despite corona pandemic and resource crunch”, panchayat raj minister B Satyanarayana claimed.

Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan alleged that the YSRCP had managed to win by intimidating candidates of the opposition parties and creating fear psychosis among the electorate that welfare would be stopped if it is not voted to power.