Amaravati, Oct 19 (IANS) Over 25,000 nominations have been filed for the election to 100 urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled on October 28.
A total of 25,809 candidates filed nominations for the posts of ward members and mayors/chairpersons of municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats.
The deadline for filing nominations ended on Sunday. The nominations will be scrutinised on Monday.
The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 21 (Wednesday).
According to the State Election Commission, 320 nominations were filed for the posts of mayors of 13 municipal corporations.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is heading the ruling NDA, fielded 46 candidates. Its ally, Jana Sena, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, has fielded nine candidates, while another ally, the BJP, has filed six nominations.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has fielded 49 candidates.
The Congress party, headed by Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Y.S. Sharmila, has fielded 36 candidates.
A total of 112 Independents have also filed nominations.
For posts of chairpersons of 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats, the SEC has received 1,038 nominations.
A total of 283 candidates from the TDP filed their nominations, while Jana Sena fielded 91. The BJP is contesting 21 seats.
The YSRCP has fielded 319 candidates, and the Congress 81.
For 3,020 ward members of the municipal corporation, the SEC has received 8,198 nominations.
As many as 2,956 TDP candidates have filed their nominations. Jana Sena fielded 1,019, while 350 BJP candidates also filed their papers.
The YSRCP has fielded 2,295 candidates while Congress has fielded 215.
A total of 16,253 nominations have been filed for 922 ward members of municipalities and nagar panchayats.
TDP’s 6,504 candidates filed their nominations, while 1,305 candidates of Jana Sena filed their papers. The BJP has fielded 536 candidates.
YSRCP has fielded 5,880 candidates, and Congress has 201 nominees.
Meanwhile, TDP working president and state minister Nara Lokesh took to ‘X’ on Monday to hit back at YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, who alleged that the TDP, with the support of the SEC and police, stopped YSRCP candidates from filing nominations.
Lokesh posted that a record of over 22,800 nominations have been filed for the urban local body elections across Andhra Pradesh. “Candidates from every party, every community and every corner of the state have stepped forward. Democracy in Andhra Pradesh is alive and thriving. Those who cry foul before a single vote is cast should remember: elections are won in the field, not at press meets. Face the people, the people will decide,” he said.
Jagan Mohan Reddy had called on Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on Sunday, seeking his intervention to ‘save democracy’ in the state.
–IANS
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