After the third phase of polling in the panchayat elections in Andhra, much like in first and second phase, both the YSRCP and the TDP claimed victory with both the parties announcing their own set of numbers. The Telugu Desam Party claimed that it bagged 1,069 sarpanch posts while the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) claimed that it breached the Kuppam fortress.
According to the TDP, the opposition party won 1,069 sarpanch posts compared to YSRCP 1,393 and Janasena and Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) alliance's eight victories by 12.30 am on Thursday morning. Former Chief Minister and TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the TDP and its allies have posted good results and got 41.41 percent seats in the third phase of the panchayat polls.
Contradicting the TDP's claims, YSRCP leaders claimed that the ruling party won 2,442 sarpanch posts, compared to TDP's 501 and others winning 145, out of a total of 3,221 sarpanch posts.
As per YSRCPs calculations, 579 sarpanch posts went for unanimous elections in the third phase of the four phase panchayat polls.
YSRCP leaders have also claimed that the ruling party supporters won the majority sarpanch posts in Kuppam constituency, represented by former chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for decades. The ruling party leaders claimed that YSRCP aligned candidates won 74 sarpanch posts out of 89 in Kuppam constituency, relegating TDP supporters to only 14 panchayats.
The TDP leaders have been bagging the constituency in Assembly elections since 1985 and Naidu first won it in 1989. Naidu won Kuppam seven times at a stretch, including serving as chief minister for three terms.
Addressing a press conference, the TDP chief slammed the ruling party and alleged that they were using huge corruption money amassed from sand and liquor mafia to buy votes at Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 per head. “Crores of rupees were dumped in the Kuppam segment to get immoral victories there. The ruling party maniacs brought outsiders to defeat democracy. Kuppam was known for its credibility, peace-loving people and ethical values but now the YCP goondas have polluted the atmosphere”, Naidu said.
YSRCP candidates won sarpanch posts in Gudipalle, Adavibadaguru, Urlobanapalle and others which were known to be mostly belonging to TDP supporters.
In the panchayats where TDP won, YSRCP leaders alleged that the margin was wafer thin.
A note from the YSRCP had claimed that Naidu’s TDP has plunged into obscurity. “The TDP and its chief Chandra Babu Naidu's plunge into obscurity seems to have come to a logical conclusion with the former CM failing to secure his bastion”, the note read.