TDP emerges dominant in erstwhile Chittoor district municipal polls

Tirupati: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has emerged as the dominant force in the municipal elections in Tirupati, Chittoor and Annamayya districts, winning both Mayor posts and most municipality Chairperson positions.

The results mark a major political turnaround for TDP chief and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in his home district. In the 2021 municipal elections, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) had won all six urban local bodies in the district, securing 228 of the 247 wards. TDP had managed to win only 17 wards.

This time, TDP and its alliance partners performed strongly across the region. In Chittoor Municipal Corporation, TDP candidate Katari Hemalatha was elected Mayor. The party won 53 of the 60 divisions, while YSRCP secured five. BJP and an independent candidate won one division each.

In Tirupati Municipal Corporation, TDP candidate JB Srinivas was elected Mayor. TDP won 36 wards and secured two more unopposed, taking its total to 38. Jana Sena won 19 wards and BJP three, taking the alliance’s total to 60. YSRCP won three wards, while independents secured three.

TDP also won the Chairperson posts in Punganur, Madanapalle, Palamaner, Nagari and Kuppam. Nayim Taj was elected Chairperson in Punganur, G Sreerama Kumar in Madanapalle, C Rajalakshmi in Palamaner, EN Srinivasan in Nagari and N Rajakumar in Kuppam.

In Punganur, TDP won 30 wards, while BJP and Jana Sena secured two each. An independent candidate and a CPI candidate won one ward each. In Madanapalle, TDP secured 22 wards, followed by YSRCP with 12, Jana Sena with six, BJP with four and independents with four.

In Palamaner, TDP won 27 wards, YSRCP seven and Jana Sena two. In Nagari, TDP secured 31 wards, while YSRCP won eight and Jana Sena one. In Kuppam, TDP won 31 wards, while an independent candidate secured one.

In Puttur municipality, Jana Sena candidate D Elumalai was elected Chairperson. TDP won 30 wards, while YSRCP secured four and Jana Sena two. In Sullurupeta, TDP won 26 of the 32 wards. BJP secured two, Jana Sena one and YSRCP three. TDP candidate P Suhasini was elected Chairperson.

In Venkatagiri, TDP won 29 of the 36 wards. BJP secured two, Jana Sena one and YSRCP four. TDP candidate D Sarada was elected Chairperson.

Naidupeta was one of the few municipalities where the YSRCP put up a strong performance.

Out of 32 wards, the TDP won 15 and the YSRCP secured 12. The BJP won four wards and an independent candidate secured one. YSRCP candidate T Rajeswaramma was leading the Chairperson election against her TDP rival.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pradeep Vennelakanti

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