VIJAYAWADA: Election enthusiasm picked up momentum after a notification for elections to 12 municipalities and Nellore Municipal Corporation (NMC) was issued on Wednesday. Polling for NMC is scheduled for November 15 and counting of votes two days later.
The ruling YSR Congress, bolstered by the Badvel win, hopes to come up trumps in the mini municipal battle. Main opposition Telugu Desam, which had boycotted the earlier local body elections, has decided to enter the fray and its cadre has been asked to ensure the defeat YSRC.
Several candidates filed nominations for NMC and other municipalities on Wednesday. The nomination process will end on Saturday.
The State Election Commission announced the schedule for the conduct of elections to 12 municipalities and NMC on Monday. Elections for panchayats will be held on November 14, municipalities the next day and ZPTC and MPTCs on November 16.
Municipalities going to polls are Akiveedu, Jaggayyapet, Kondapalli, Dachepalli, Gurazala, Darsi, Buchireddypalem, Kuppam, Bethamcherla, Kamalapuram, Rajampet and Penukonda.
YSRC seeking to continue its win spree started attracting voters. Its leaders ascertain that the recent triumphs were indicative of the people’s support for the ruling party. YSRC leaders are concentrating on Kuppam, which is the home constituency of TD chief N Chandrababu Naidu. They hope to win the Kuppam municipal elections where TD recently faced a humiliating defeat in the local body elections.
Naidu recently went on a whirlwind tour of Kuppam and geared up party cadre to work for a win. Upset with the leadership’s decision to boycott local body, many urged Naidu not to boycott any more elections. TD sources said that Naidu assured leaders and cadre about fielding candidates in all seats.
YSRC has started strategic meetings with respective legislators, people’s representatives and party leaders in the poll-bound places.
MLAs Vasanta Krishna Prasad, Kasu Mahesh Reddy and others said that they would highlight welfare schemes and development activities of the YSRC government.
