No contest in over 2,000 panchayats

Hyderabad: Nearly 2,000 gram panchayats have elected their sarpanches unanimously, it was learnt on the last day of withdrawal of nominations on Wednesday. The local body elections are scheduled to be held in three phases on July 23, 27 and 31 for 21,491 panchayats in the State. Reports from the districts said that among the panchayats that have seen unanimous elections district-wise are: Kirshna district (299), Chittoor (259), Srikakulam (215), Nellore (200), Prakasam (175), Kadapa (158), Guntur (150) West Godavari (135), Vizianagaram (133), Mahbubnagar (108), Nalgonda (101), Adilabad (83), Warangal (83), East Godavari (77), Medak (69), Anantapur (67), Karimnagar (57) and Khammam (28). YSR Congress Party senior leader MV Mysoora Reddy claimed that his party won over 600 panchayats unanimously so far. He thanked people for reposing faith in the party. Telugu Desam Party also claimed that it had won 599 panchayats unanimously. It said it won 30 panchayats in Adilabad, 20 in Nizamabad, 37 in Srikakulam, 33 in Vizianagaram, 46 in Krishna, 42 each in Guntur and Prakasam, 44 in Nellore, 22 in Kadapa, 21 in Anantapur, 114 in Chittoor and 16 in Warangal districts.