Renomination process begins in 72 wards across Kadapa, Tirupati

Tirupati: State Election Commission (SEC) on Friday reopened the nomination process in 72 wards across the municipal bodies of Mydukur, Rajampet, Kadapa and Tirupati, following Supreme Court’s intervention in the local body elections.SEC directed returning officers to facilitate fresh nominations in all 32 wards of Mydukur municipality and 11 wards of Rajampet municipality. The process was also reopened in 18 wards of Tirupati Municipal Corporation and 11 wards of Kadapa Municipal Corporation.Following SEC’s order to extend the nomination process by two days, Friday and Saturday, candidates from various political parties queued up at nomination centres across the four urban local bodies (ULBs) in Kadapa and Tirupati districts on Friday. According to Kadapa district officials, 21 nominations were filed on Friday by candidates from various political parties, including the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).Of the 66 wards in Kadapa Municipal Corporation, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has been declared the unanimous winner in 52 wards, while contests are underway in three others. Renominations are being facilitated in the remaining 11 wards in compliance with SEC’s directions.Candidates also filed nominations on Friday in all 32 wards of Mydukur municipality and all 11 wards of Rajampet municipality. In Tirupati, YSRCP candidates queued up at the district collectorate to file nominations for the 18 wards in which SEC reopened the process.Former Tirupati MLA and YSRCP regional coordinator Bhumana Karunakar Reddy expressed surprise at what he described as a sudden change in the police department’s conduct.“From the start of the municipal election nomination process on Oct 16, followed by the MPTC-ZPTC nomination phase on Oct 21, the state witnessed unprecedented attacks on YSRCP candidates, instigated by ruling TDP activists, particularly in Rayalaseema. It was only after the Supreme Court’s intervention that these attacks, which we believe were carried out with the active support of the police and administrative machinery, came to a halt,” he pointed out.“The same police department, which remained a spectator until yesterday as the democratic electoral process was undermined, has facilitated the smooth filing of nominations in Tirupati today. This sudden change is quite startling,” Bhumana added.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Vijayawada | Silver Rate in Vijayawada | Bank Holidays in Vijayawada | Public Holidays in Vijayawada | Petrol Price in Vijayawada | Diesel Price in Vijayawada | CNG Price in Vijayawada | LPG Price in VijayawadaStay updated with the latest Vijayawada news. Download the TOI App.