The result of the Zilla Parishad and Mandal Parishad elections in Andhra Pradesh have thrown up some glimpses of what could be in store for all the major contending political parties both in Telangana and Seemandhra regions.
If it was a neck and neck fight between the Congress and the TRS in rural Telangana, the TDP was clearly ahead of YSRCP in Seemandhra.
Telangana seems to be heading for a hung Assembly as voters have not given a clear upper hand to any single party in Zilla Parishad polls. Of the nine districts in the region, Telangana Rashtra Samiti could win three Zilla Parishads of Adilabad, Nizambad and Karimnagar; while the Congress could bag only Nalgonda Zilla Parishad. In a surprising result, the Telugu Desam Party won Khammam Zilla Parishad making it clear that contrary to the common perception it was far from finished in Telangana.
However in four Zilla Parishads of Medak, Mahbubnagar, Warangal and Ranga Reddy, no party could get a clear majority. Specially Medak result was a big set back for the TRS as it is the home district of its president K Chandrashekhar Rao who was also contesting from Medak lok Sabha constituency.
As State Election Commission chief Ramakant Reddy announced that the election of Zilla Parishad chairpersons would be held only after the State Assembly and Parliament were in place, all the parties were fearing poaching by the rivals. To avoid any such situation, TRS has infact moved its newly elected members of Zilla Parishad and Mandal Parishad to safe camps.
In a Telangana, voters have put both the TRS and the Congress in a quandary and they were forced to think in terms of a tie up specially in four Zilla Parishads where no party could get a majority on its own. However a final decision was expected only after the assembly election results were declared on Friday.
In the over all situation, TRS and Congress emerged almost equal. Of the 443 Zilla Parishad seats in the nine district, TRS was ahead with 191 seats followed by Congress with 176 seats. TDP came third with 63. YSRCP won six and BJP 4.
In Mandal Parishad elections of the total 6,525 seats Congress emerged first with 2,351 seats followed by TRS with 1,860. TDP won a respectable 1,061 seats, YSRCP 121, BJP 275 and others 799.
In Seemandhra region on the other hand, the TDP emerged stronger by winning 9 of the 13 Zilla Parishads compared to four of YSR Congress party. Jagan’s party got majority in districts of Kadapa, Kurnool, Nellore and Prakasham.
If this trend is repeated in the assembly elections, it can be presumed that the TDP was going to form the next Government in Seemandhra. It got a majority in nine districts of Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram, Visakhapatanam, East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Chittoor and Anantapur.
Of the total 653 Zilla Parishad seats in Seemandhra, TDP was ahead with 373 seats against 275 of YSRCP. Congress could win measly two and BJP drew a blank.
In Mandal Parishad, which are below the Zilla Parishad in the rural bodies, of the 1,092 seats, TDP won 5,216 and YSRCP 4,199 seats. Congress came third with only 172 seats and BJP bagged 13. Remaining 486 went to others.