TDP sweeps zilla parishad polls in Seemandhra

After the municipal elections, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) also swept the rural body elections in Seemandhra while it was a close finish between the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the Congress in Telangana.

Out of 13 districts in Seemandhra, the TDP bagged power in nine local bodies while the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) finished second with four Zilla Parishads. The Congress drew a blank, just like in the municipal elections.

State Election Commissioner P. Ramakanth Reddy said the counting of votes, which began Tuesday morning, was completed Wednesday.

The votes for 1,094 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) and 16,617 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) were polled in two phases last month.

The results of local body elections triggered speculations about the outcome of assembly and Lok Sabha elections, as the counting of votes is set to be taken up Friday.

The TDP is confident that the results of urban and local body polls will be repeated as both urban and rural voters supported the party while YSRCP is sure of coming to power in Seemandhra and hopes to win maximum Lok Sabha seats.

In Telangana, both the Congress and the TRS are equally confident of capturing power. Telangana state Congress chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah Wednesday exuded confidence that the party will get majority on its own. TRS leader E. Rajender said they had no doubt about forming the first government in Telangana.

Andhra Pradesh (Seemandhra) and Telangana will come into being as two states June 2.

In Telangana, the TRS won three districts, the Congress and the TDP one each. The polls threw hung house in four districts, where the Congress emerged as single largest party.

The TRS, which did not do well in the municipal elections in Telangana, captured power in Karimnagar, Adilabad and Nizamabad. The Congress bagged Nalgonda Zilla Parishad while the TDP surprised all by winning Khammam.

Warangal, Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Medak threw hung district-level local bodies. The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party, is trying to mobilize support from smaller parties and independents to have its leaders as chairpersons.

The Congress which won majority seats in urban local bodies, finished second in the ZPTC polls, but won majority of mandal-level constituencies.

In Telangana elections were held for 443 ZPTCs. The results were announced for 440 seats. TRS bagged 191 seats, Congress 176 and TDP 53.

In MPTC elections, it was Congress which secured maximum seats. Elections were held for 6,525 MPTC seats and the results announced for 6,467 seats. Congress won 2,351 seats, TRS 1,860 and TDP 1,061.

It was the TDP wave in Seemandhra as it won Guntur, Chittoor, Krishna, Anantapur, East Godavari, West Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram Zilla Parishads.

The YSRCP was victorious in Kurnool, Kadapa, Prakasam and Nellore districts.

Out of 653 ZPTC seats in Seemandhra, the TDP won 373 and the YSRCP 275. The Congress bagged only two seats

Out of 10,092 MPTC seats, TDP bagged 5,216 seats YSRCP 4,199 and the Congress 172.