ONGOLE: With just two days left for campaigning, the municipal election battle in the combined Prakasam district has entered a crucial phase ahead of polling on November 1.
While Darsi and Kanigiri municipalities have unanimously elected their councils, elections in Kandukur and Podili will be held later due to procedural delays.
Polling will be held in Ongole Municipal Corporation (OMC) and the municipalities of Chimakurthy, Addanki, Markapuram and Giddalur.
In OMC, the main contest is between the TDP-led NDA alliance and the YSRCP. Despite the seat-sharing arrangement, TDP and Jana Sena candidates are in direct contest in five divisions.
Of the 62 divisions, Jana Sena is contesting 11 and the BJP two, while the remaining seats are with the TDP. Senior leaders from both camps have intensified campaigning.
Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Ongole MLA Damacharla Janardhana Rao and SN Padu MLA BN Vijay Kumar are canvassing for TDP mayoral candidate Nallamalli Sri Shilpa. On the YSRCP side, Rajya Sabha MPs YV Subba Reddy and Alla Ayodhya Ramireddy, along with Chevireddi Bhaskara Reddy, B Brahmananda Reddy and Darsi MLA Buchepalli Siva Prasad Reddy, are campaigning for mayoral candidate Kuppam Prasad.
In other municipalities, key contests are between Sidda Sudhakar (TDP) and Medagam Sridevi (YSRCP) in Chimakurthy, K Ashok (TDP) and U Suresh (YSRCP) in Addanki, K Ramireddy (TDP) and Ch Kanaka Durga (YSRCP) in Markapuram, and JV Narayana ( BJP) and B Narasimha Reddy (YSRCP) in Giddalur.
