Electoral fate of ULB candidates to be decided today
In Short
Counting for Vijayawada, Machilipatnam corporations and six municipalities in NTR and Krishna districts
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NTR district collector G Lakshmisha inspects the Strong Room of Corporation Elections in Vijayawada on Monday Photo Ch Venkata Mastan
Vijayawada: The electoral fortunes of candidates who contested the urban local body elections in NTR and Krishna districts will be decided on November 3, when the State Election Commission (SEC) conducts counting of votes. The results will determine the new mayors, corporators, municipal chairpersons and ward members in the two districts.
The counting will cover Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) in NTR district and Machilipatnam Municipal Corporation (MMC) in Krishna district, besides four municipalities in NTR district — Jaggaiahpet, Nandigama, Kondapalli and Tiruvuru — and two municipalities, Vuyyuru and Pedana, in Krishna district.
The counting centres for the urban local body elections in NTR and Krishna districts have been finalised. Andhra Loyola College in Vijayawada will serve as the counting centre for the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), while counting for the four municipalities in NTR district — Kondapalli, Nandigama, Tiruvuru and Jaggaiahpet — will be held at their respective designated centres.
In Krishna district, Krishna University will be the counting centre for Machilipatnam Municipal Corporation (MMC), while St Vincent Pallotti School will host counting for Pedana Municipality and AG & SG S College for Vuyyuru Municipality.
In Vijayawada 4,46,021 of the 8,05,797 registered voters exercised their franchise, recording a turnout of 55.35%. The mayoral contest has attracted particular attention, with 19 candidates in the fray. The prominent contestants include NDA-backed Jana Sena Party candidate and former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishnan, former mayor and YSRCP candidate Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi, and retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao, who contested as an Independent with the backing of the Left parties and Congress. In Kondapalli municipality, 37,870 votes were polled out of 52,530 registered voters. Jaggaiahpet recorded 32,038 votes out of 43,935. Elections were held in 24 of its 36 wards, while 12 wards were declared unanimous. Nandigama recorded 26,627 votes out of 36,641, with one of its 32 wards declared unanimous. Tiruvuru registered 20,929 votes out of 28,357.
In Krishna district, Machilipatnam Municipal Corporation recorded 98,627 votes out of 1,39,246 registered voters, registering a turnout of 70.83%. Elections were held in all 60 divisions. Pedana municipality recorded 20,151 votes out of 25,373, registering 79.42 per cent polling across 28 wards. Women voters (10,399) outnumbered men (9,752). Vuyyuru municipality recorded 21,756 votes out of 32,793 registered voters across 32 wards, with a turnout of 66.34%. The results are keenly awaited by political parties and candidates, as they will indicate their electoral strength and influence in urban local bodies across the two districts.
NTR district collector Dr G Lakshmisha and Krishna District Collector DK Balaji held review meetings with the respective municipal commissioners and other officials to assess the arrangements for vote counting. They directed the officials to ensure tight security at all counting centres and follow the prescribed procedures for smooth, transparent and secure counting.
The State Election Commission (SEC) and district administrations have made elaborate arrangements for the counting process, which will mark the conclusion of the urban local body elections and determine the new leadership of municipal corporations and municipalities in NTR and Krishna districts.
