VIJAYAWADA: In a notable shift from its prolonged electoral decline in Andhra Pradesh following the State’s bifurcation in 2014, the Congress has registered an encouraging performance in the Chirala Municipality elections, winning 10 of the 42 wards it contested, with several other candidates finishing second.
The outcome has come as a boost to a party that has struggled for nearly 12 years to regain its political foothold in the State, with many of its traditional voters shifting to other parties and even loyal cadre reluctant to contest on the Congress ticket.
Of the 44 wards in Chirala Municipality, the Congress fielded candidates in 42, winning 10 seats and securing second place in several others. The performance has brought the party back into electoral discussion in a State where it was virtually wiped out following the bifurcation.
Even when B-forms were available, candidates were often reluctant to contest under the party banner. Against this backdrop, the Chirala result has assumed significance, particularly as the Congress managed to win 10 councillor seats despite facing the TDP-led NDA and the YSRCP.
Though local political equations and the presence of strong leadership, particularly former MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan, may have contributed to the outcome, the results have brought considerable cheer to the Congress cadre.
The result has brought renewed confidence among Congress workers, who have been struggling to establish the party’s relevance in State politics. Though the performance may be largely influenced by local leadership and circumstances, it has demonstrated that the party can still secure electoral support in local contests.
Reacting to the results, APCC president YS Sharmila Reddy congratulated Amanchi Krishna Mohan, the district president and State PAC member, for leading the party’s campaign. She said the win indicated that the Congress was emerging as an alternative for the development of Andhra Pradesh.