Ruling Alliance Sweeps Uncontested Posts

AMARAVATI — The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Andhra Pradesh has secured comprehensive early momentum, bagging 16 municipal chairperson posts unopposed.

According to the Proforma-V reports for the second ordinary elections to urban local bodies—which encompass 13 municipal corporations and 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats statewide—the unanimous victories comprise 14 candidates from the TDP, one from the Janasena Party, and one from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Election authorities noted that no municipal corporation mayoral post was finalized unanimously in these initial listings.

Beyond the chairperson seats, hundreds of ward-level positions were also secured without a contest. Reports indicate that NDA-backed candidates clinched 639 unanimous ward and division victories statewide through uncontested selections rather than formal balloting.

Focus on YSRCP Bastion

The political spotlight has heavily focused on the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's home district of YSR Kadapa. Here, ruling alliance candidates swept chairperson posts unopposed across several municipalities, including Yerraguntla, Proddatur, Badvel, Kamalapuram, Rajampet, and Mydukur. These victories feature BJP candidate Gorla Madhulatha in Yerraguntla alongside TDP candidates across the remaining five local bodies.

Significantly, in Pulivendula—the home assembly constituency of the YSRCP president—TDP candidates were elected unopposed in 20 of the municipality's 40 total wards.

Revised Electoral Schedule and Judicial Intervention

The unapposed wins and broader electoral process unfold against the backdrop of significant judicial oversight. The State Election Commission (SEC) was compelled to revise its electoral calendar following directions from the Supreme Court, which intervened after receiving complaints alleging that prospective candidates had been blocked from filing their nominations.

Complying with the apex court's directives issued on October 21, the SEC reopened the nomination window for four key urban local bodies: Kadapa Municipal Corporation, Rajampet Municipality, Mydukur Municipality, and Tirupati Municipal Corporation.

Under the newly published schedule, polling across the 100 targeted urban local bodies is now slated for November 1, running from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Provision has been made for re-polling on November 2 if necessary, while the official counting of votes and subsequent declaration of results will commence on November 3 at 8:00 AM.

The Supreme Court is expected to resume its hearing on the ongoing nomination disputes.