Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

Gram panchayats go to polls today

Special Correspondent

Gifts doled out to voters include `chicken biryani' too!

TIRUPATI: With barely a few hours to go for the second phase of polling, candidates are going all out to woo the electorate. They are vying with each other to dole out `gifts' like saris, blouse pieces, steel pitchers in addition to mouth-watering chicken and mutton 'biriyani' packets!

While Congress is keen on avoiding any slump in its voting percentage, the TDP is not stopping at anything to regain some of its lost ground. This eventually has queered the pitch for the sarpanches election. After elections were declared unanimous in 154 panchayats, 295 panchayats spread over the 21 mandals in the Chittoor Revenue Division would be going to polls on Tuesday to elect as many sarpanches and 1169 ward members. In all 753 candidates are contesting for the 295 seats.Kadapa reporter adds: One hundred and fifty nine gram panchayats and 802 panchayat wards in 17 mandals of Rajampet revenue division will go to polls.

Of 245 gram panchayats notified for the second phase of elections in the division, 86 were decided unanimously and elections are not being held for 27 panchayats, as the five-year term of the elected body is yet to be completed. In all, 591 contestants are in fray for 159 sarpanch posts. Of 2,402 panchayat wards notified, 1,580 were unanimous. . Utukur in Rajampet mandal has the largest number of sarpanch candidates - 20. The 17 mandals in which panchayats are going to polls on Wednesday are Rajampet, Penagalur, Nandalur, Kodur, Obulavaripalle, Pullampet, Chitvel, Siddhavatam, Vontimitta, Atlur, Badvel, Gopavaram, B. Kodur, Kalasapadu, Porumamilla, Kasinayana and Brahmamgari Matham.

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