KAKINADA: The ruling YSRC continued with its victory march in the second phase of the Grama Panchayat polls. A majority of the grama panchayats were grabbed by YSRC supporters.
In this phase, elections were held to 235 grama panachayats, of which YSRC-supporters bagged 167 GPs. Some of these winners were party rebels. Telugu Desam won 36, the Jana Sena 14 and Independents 12 GPs.
The contest was tough in many GPs in Dwarapudi, Anaparti, Bikkavolu and Rajanagaram and candidates reportedly spent crores of rupees to win the polls. The Jana Sena made its presence felt by winning a few GPs. Indications are that candidates in some GPs spent as high as Rs.2 crore to Rs.3 crore to win the elections.
In Anaparthi constituency, the YSRC bagged a majority of the wards as also GPs, while the TD fared poorly. YSRC lost some GPs due to its selection of weak candidates. Group clashes have also added to the defeat of some candidates.
As it turned out, the TD could not compete with the YSRC in the GP polls. Most YSRC supporters in the fray sought votes by highlighting the welfare schemes of the Jagan government. People were hopeful they would get the promised house sites after the elections.
Pottilanka Grama Panchayat, the adopted village of Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat, was won by a YSRC supporter. The Jana Sena had hoped to bag this.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam Board chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy visited Pottilanka village and greeted the winning candidates. He took darshan of Lord Abhayanjaneya Swamy in the village.
The sarpanch candidates who won the elections were felicitated by Bharat at his camp office. He said Chief Minister Jagan was implementing the welfare schemes and trying to improve the livelihood of the poor and hence the people blessed the YSRC candidates.
