Huge setback to TDP in Chandrababu Naidu's bastion

Tirupati: Again a major setback for TDP in its bastion as it has lost the municipal elections by winning in only six out of 25 wards.

After losing gram panchayat, MPTC and ZPTC elections to the ruling YSRCP, the opposition TDP had several hopes on Kuppam municipality as the town gave around 10,000 votes majority to party chief N Chandrababu Naidu in the 2019 elections similar to that of earlier Assembly polls.

Since his first election in Kuppam in 1989, Naidu has so far been elected seven times from the same constituency to the State Assembly always with comfortable majority. In 2019 elections, out of 14 Assembly seats from the district, TDP could only bag Kuppam as Naidu won by a majority of over 30,000 votes.

After their defeat in gram panchayat elections, TDP leaders alleged money and muscle power of the ruling party was the reason for their debacle. Though the party boycotted MPTC, ZPTC elections after the nomination process, they were technically in the fray and could only win three MPTCs and lost all four ZPTCs.

The party wanted to show its strength by bouncing back in municipal elections and made all out efforts. Right from the party chief Chandrababu Naidu several leaders including Nara Lokesh, N Amaranatha Reddy, N Rama Naidu and others have campaigned in the town. The senior leaders have camped in the town to monitor the electioneering and to counter the strategies of the ruling party.

YSRCP, on the other hand, laid total focus on the Assembly segment since 2019 in its bid to weaken the TDP in its stronghold and particularly Kuppam town where about 59 per cent of voters voted for Naidu in 2019 elections. After winning gram panchayat, MPTC and ZPTC elections they firmly decided to make inroads into Kuppam town as well to tarnish the image of Naidu. Minister for Panchayat Raj Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy shouldered all responsibilities and successfully executed the poll management.

The electioneering witnessed heated arguments and some tense moments as well. Much against the objections of TDP, YSRCP could manage to bag 14th ward unanimously in its favour. TDP raised a ruckus over the issue saying that their candidate's signature was forged.

Even on polling day, TDP alleged rigging by the ruling party. Its leaders made hue and cry over the polling day developments citing partisan attitude of police and polling officials. They wanted to win the municipality to send strong signals that no one can conquer Kuppam, but failed. A leader commented that, TDP lost the election because of the large scale rigging and money power of YSRCP who distributed Rs.5-10 thousands per vote along with nose studs, saris etc., to women voters.