A decisive political shift has unfolded across urban Andhra Pradesh as counting of votes progresses in the municipal corporation and municipal elections. Urban voters across the state have re-established the historical tendency of backing the incumbent dispensation in local civic contests. The ruling NDA alliance, comprising the Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena Party, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, has established commanding leads across all 13 municipal corporations, spanning key urban centres from Visakhapatnam to Kadapa and Kurnool. During the previous municipal elections in 2021, the then-ruling YSRCP swept every single one of the 13 municipal corporations by securing the mayor posts. However, the counting figures recorded on November 3 indicate a complete reversal of the political winds. In major hubs such as Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Tirupati, electors opted for the ruling coalition to maintain administrative continuity and developmental alignment, eroding YSRCP's urban foundation.
Seat Allocations and Contests Across Municipalities and Panchayats
The structural layout of this election involved distinct fielding strategies among key contenders. For the mayoral posts across the 13 corporations, the ruling alliance fielded candidates for 10 posts, whereas YSRCP placed its contenders across all 13 mayoral seats. Beyond the corporations, intense competition marked the race for 87 municipality and city panchayat chairperson positions. Out of these 87 chairperson posts, 17 seats saw candidates elected entirely unopposed. In the remaining 70 chairperson seats, seat-sharing among NDA allies saw TDP contest 49 seats, Jana Sena fight in 17, and the BJP field candidates in 4 constituencies. YSRCP mounted a comprehensive challenge by putting forward nominees across all 70 contested positions.
Jana Sena Opens Account in Peddapuram Municipality
Early declared outcomes from several wards reflected the ruling coalition's grassroots footing. In Kakinada district, Jana Sena opened its victory ledger within the Peddapuram municipality by securing multiple municipal wards. In ward number 3, Jana Sena candidate Vangalapudi Satish emerged victorious. The party doubled its immediate tally from the area as its candidate Korni Satyanarayana clinched ward number 5. These ward-level triumphs provided early operational momentum to alliance cadres across coastal urban pockets as full counts were being processed.
High Court Clears Pulivendula Counting Amid Guntur Vote Tally
Counting operations for the Guntur Municipal Corporation were conducted under strict monitoring protocols at the Acharya Nagarjuna University centre. Concurrently, legal uncertainty surrounding the counting in Pulivendula within the YSR Kadapa district was formally resolved. YSRCP candidate for Kadapa chairperson YS Pramila and YSRCP Member of Parliament YS Avinash Reddy had approached the judiciary seeking a stay to halt the vote tallying operations. The Andhra Pradesh High Court delivered its verdict on Tuesday, granting clearance for the counting of votes in the Pulivendula municipality to proceed without disruption.
Severe Weather Conditions From Cyclone Murasu Delay Counting
Operational updates issued by the State Election Commission noted that the physical impact of Cyclone Murasu caused logistical delays in counting procedures in select parts of the state. Adverse weather required administrative authorities to reschedule counting starts in Prakasam and Bapatla districts. Specifically within Bapatla district, counting for the Chirala and Repalle municipalities was postponed to commence strictly after 10 AM. Election officials instituted these procedural adjustments to navigate the cyclone's impact while preserving staff safety and vote tabulating integrity.
