Tirupati: Political activity picks up

Tirupati: Buzz of political activity prevails in the district with the commencement of nomination process for local body elections on Monday. Elections will be held for 65 ZPTC and 886 MPTC seats on March 21. The last date for submission of nominations is March 11. A few last minute changes have taken place in the reservations which had become a subject of discussion.

In a letter to the Panchayat Raj Commissioner on March 5, District Collector Dr N Bharat Guptha submitted the finalised list of reservations for 65 ZPTC seats and 65 MPP seats. Out of this list, four changes have been made now as per the election notification released by the ZP CEO K Kodandarami Reddy on Monday.

As per reports of social media, G Sreenivasulu of Venkatagiri Kota may be tipped for ZP Chairman's post by the YSRCP high command. That seat has now changed to general (unreserved) category from BC women. He even filed the nomination papers on the first day itself.

Similarly, Ramakuppam is now unreserved seat though it was in ST category in the first list. Peddamandyam has been changed to SC women from General women and Palamaneru changed to BC women from unreserved. Changes in reservations of MPP seats were also made. Renigunta MPP seat had been placed in ST category in the first list. Now it is in unreserved category. Ramakuppam MPP seat went unreserved now from SC woman whereas Venkatagiri Kota changed to BC from SC category.

Meanwhile, out of 1,410 gram panchayats which had to go to polls in two phases on March 27 and 29, elections were withhold at nine panchayats.