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TDP-BJP forging ahead in civic polls

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

The ruling Telugu Desam Party-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance is forging ahead of the main opposition Congress party in the civic elections to 103 municipalities and five municipal corporations in Andhra Pradesh.

Counting trends available from 83 civic bodies by 1430 IST on Saturday indicate that the TDP-BJP alliance candidates are leading for the chairpersons' posts in 56 municipalities (the TDP in 47 and the BJP 9 places). The Congress nominees are leading in 23 municipalities and independents in four places.

The Congress scored its first victory when its candidate Feroza Begum grabbed the mayor's post in the Kurnool municipal corporation in the faction-ridden Rayalaseema region. She trounced her nearest TDP rival by a margin of 2,900 votes.

Congress nominee V Annamma bagged the chairperson's post in Kothagudem municipality in Khammam district, by defeating her nearest TDP rival G Kavita by a margin of over 3,600 votes.

The TDP notched up its initial victory in Yellandu municipality in Khammam disrtrict where its candidate Y Anusuya trounced her nearest independent rival M Kalpana Bai by a margin of over 3,900 votes.

An independent candidate, Shaik Narsaiah bagged the chairperson's post in Korutla municipality in the Naxalite-affected Karimnagar district in the backward Telangana region.

The state Election Commission office said that the results of 158 wards in various municipalities had been declared by the poll authorities. The TDP secured 71 wards and its ally -- the BJP -- got six.

The Congress managed to win 66 wards. The Communist Party of India-Marxist got four wards and the Communist Party of India one ward. Independents emerged victorious in 10 wards.

Initial trends showed that the Congress was leading marginally in the Warangal and Visakhapatnam municipal corporations while the TDP was leading in the Vijayawada and Guntur municipal corporations.

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