Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Telugu Desam springs a surprise in Anantapur

Staff Reporter

Party bags a majority of ZPTC seats in local bodies elections

ANANTAPUR: The Telugu Desam Party has sprung a major surprise in the local bodies' elections in Rayalaseema by wresting the Anantapur Zilla Parishad from the Congress. Against all odds the opposition party has bagged 33 ZPTCs out of a total of 63. The remaining seats have gone to the Congress, while the CPI and the CPI (M) have drawn blank.

See-saw battle

The ZP was won by TDP in 2001 elections, but the Congress had won the chairpersonship in 2005 after the TDP suspended the Chairpersons elected by it. The TDP had won 32 and its ally BJP one ZPTC in that election. The Congress had won 29 and its ally CPI had bagged one ZPTC. The Congress had wrested the ZP Chairperson's post from the TDP by luring two TDP ZPTC members into its fold.

The TDP has improved upon its performance over its show in the 2004 Assembly elections by consolidating its position in six out of eight Assembly seats won by the Congress. Similarly, the TDP has suffered a backlash in three out of six Assembly seats where the Congress has won seven of out eight ZPTCs.

The ruling party has fared well in the Assembly segments held by Ministers J.C. Diwakar Reddy (Tadipatri) and N. Raghuveera Reddy (Madakasira). But, its performance in Anantapur, Singanamala, Gooty, Gorantla, Kadiri and Nallamada has been disastrous.

Leaders' bite the dust

The TDP has won seven out of 10 ZPTCs in the first three constituencies and nine out of 14 ZPTCs in the remaining three segments.

Similarly, in spite of its spectacular performance the TDP had to suffer severe dents in Uravakonda, Rayadurg and Dharmavaram constituencies held by it.

The Congress has outperformed the TDP by winning 11 out of 13 ZPTCs in the three segments. The local bodies' elections have been completely disastrous for TDP Whip and Uravakonda legislator P. Keshav as all the three ZPTCs and MPPs in his constituency have gone in favour of the Congress.

The TDP has also improved its performance in MPTC elections by winning 377 seats against 402 by the Congress. The CPI could win 9, CPI (M) 6 in alliance with Congress and TDP, respectively, and others 3. In 2001 elections the Congress has won 39 out of 63 mandal parishad president posts.

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Telugu Desam springs a surprise in Anantapur

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