The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) scored an emphatic victory in municipal elections in seven coastal districts (Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam) by winning 42 out of 50 municipalities giving it a morale booster ahead of the declaration of results of Assembly and Parliamentary elections on May 16.
TDP’s best performance was in East and West Godavari districts where it made a near clean sweep by winning nine out of 10 and eight out of nine municipalities whose results were announced.
The TDP delivered a crushing blow to YSR Congress (YSRC) in Godavari districts where the latter drew a blank. YSRC could win just one out of 12 municipalities in Guntur district.
YSRC’s highest tally was in Krishna district where it had to be content with three municipalities against five won by its sole rival, the TDP. YSRC’s second best performance was in Srikakulam district where it won Amadalavalasa and Itchapuram municipalities. TDP emerged triumphant in Palakonda and Palasa municipalities. YSRC won one each in Guntur (Tadepalli), Prakasam (Giddalur) and Vizianagaram (Vizianagaram) districts respectively.
TDP won Vijayawada, Eluru and Rajahmundry corporations with substantial margins. It is the first time that TDP won Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), which was due to its strong grass-root support and failure of the YSRC to translate its popular appeal into votes.
Elections were not held for Guntur and Kakinada Corporations and Gollaprolu (East Godavari), Kandukur (Prakasam), Srikakulam, Ongole and Rajam municipalities for various reasons.
