VIJAYAWADA: In what can be seen as a repeat of its good performance in the first phase of gram panchayat elections, candidates supported by the ruling YSRC stormed ahead of the opposition TDP-backed contestants in the second phase of polls on Saturday. When reports last came in, the YSRC-backed candidates bagged more than 1,000 panchayats out of the total 1,250 for which results were declared.
As many as 2,786 panchayats in 13 districts of the State went to polls in the second phase, which recorded 81.76 per cent polling. Polls to a few hundred panchayats are unanimous. Barring stray incidents of clashes between the supporters of the contestants at a few places, the polling passed off peacefully. The highest poll percentage of 86.6 was recorded in Prakasam, while the lowest turnout of 72.87 per cent was reported in Srikakulam.
Voters queued up before polling stations even before the start of polling. Young and old people showed equal enthusiasm to exercise their franchise in the elections. Police were seen helping the physically challenged and elderly people to cast their vote at several places.Right from the beginning of counting of votes at 4 pm, the YSRC- backed candidates took lead in majority of panchayats and the trend continued till late in the night.
The YSRC-backed candidates won majority of panchayats in Chittoor, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Anantapur, Kadapa and other districts, while the TDP-supported contestants could put up a better show in Krishna, Guntur and Vizianagaram. The BJP-Jana Sena supported candidates won a few seats in East and West Godavari and Krishna districts.
The victory margin of winners was very slender in several panchayats. Some candidates won the election with a margin of one or two votes. The winner was decided by toss in a couple of gram panchayats where the two main candidates secured equal number of votes. Of the total 32 results declared in Visakhapatnam till late in the night, the TDP failed to win even a single panchayat.
The YSRC-backed candidates got a clear mandate in Chittoor, the home district of TDP chief and Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu. In Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Kadapa district also, the YSRC-supported candidates won with ease.
Election outcome
2,803 Results out (till 11.30 pm)
2,280Seats ‘claimed’ by YSRC
420 Telugu Desam
27 BJP-JSP 76 Others
86.6% Highest polling in Prakasam