VIJAYAWADA: The stage is set for the elections to 12 municipal corporations and 71 municipalities in the state on Wednesday. Though the notification was issued for elections to 75 municipalities, four of them—Pulivendula, Punganur, Macherla and Piduguralla—went for unanimous results, in favour of the YSRC.
The urban local body elections are likely to witness keen contests between the ruling party and the Opposition TDP backed by the CPI even as the BJP-Jana Sena and Left parties are vying to make their presence felt.
Both the YSRC and the TDP are focussing on winning the Viskahapatnam, Vijayawada and Guntur civic bodies as they feel that victory in these corporations are a mandate to their stands on the three capitals’ issue, and Amaravati.Electioneering witnessed high-decibel speeches by leaders of both the parties with former chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu leading his party from the front while ministers and YSRC MPs defended their party candidates.
All arrangements are in place, and the election material and polling staff had been readied for the smooth conduct of the elections.Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, along with Lady Governor Suprava Harichandan, will participate in the process for the first time after assuming the charge, by casting his vote in elections to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation. The Governor couple will be exercising their electoral franchise at CVR GMC High School opposite City Civil Courts complex, near Raj Bhavan.
Meanwhile, stating that the state poll body had made all the necessary arrangements for the conduct of the free and fair elections to the urban local bodies, State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar said senior officers, including district collectors and SPs/commissioners of police will personally oversee the elections in each ULB. Magisterial powers were delegated to the zonal officers, static surveillance teams and flying squads etc., in the state.
In a release issued on Tuesday, the SEC said strict measures will be taken against any incident involving breach of law and order irrespective of the stature of person/s involved.lf necessary those responsible for creating law and order situation or a reason for a flare-up will be confined during the course of the poll, he added and sought the cooperation of all stakeholders for conduct of peaceful elections as was the case during the gram panchayat elections. The SEC appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise during the poll hours between 7 AM and 5 PM on Wednesday.
7 am to 5 pm Polling hours
The ruling and opposition parties are keen on winning Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Guntur civic bodies as they feel that victory in these corporations are a mandate to their stands on the three capitals’ issue, and Amaravati. Polling to begin at 7 am and conclude at 5 pm. Who succeeds will be known on March 14 when the votes are counted. District collectors, SPs/commissioners of police and other senior officials to monitor the elections in each ULB personally, the SEC said