Polling in Andhra Pradesh's mandal and zilla parishad elections closed at 5 PM on Thursday, November 5. Rain slowed voting in some places in the morning, but turnout picked up from the afternoon. Election officials put turnout at 58.55% by 3 PM, with a preliminary estimate of 65–68% overall.
The numbers
- Seats polled: 582 ZPTC and 7,767 MPTC, with 21,012 candidates in the fray.
- Won unopposed: 77 ZPTC and 2,051 MPTC seats.
- Polling in five mandals postponed because of heavy rain takes place on Friday, November 6.
- Counting and results: November 7. Elections for MPP presidents follow on November 11 and ZP chairpersons on November 12.
Scattered clashes
Petrol bombs were thrown near a polling station in Pulivendula mandal of Kadapa district; no one was hurt. At Marutla in Anantapur district, the TDP and YSRCP accused each other of seizing ballot boxes and destroying ballot papers, and both filed complaints. Clashes were also reported in Kurnool, Palnadu and Annamayya districts. The State Election Commission said no major untoward incident was reported and credited webcasting and extra security.
Both sides
At a press conference in Tadepalli, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy called the polls "not an election but merely a selection". He alleged opposition candidates were stopped from filing nominations in 84 ZPTC and 2,109 MPTC seats, that police colluded with TDP workers, and that the SEC had become Chandrababu Naidu's puppet. A TDP delegation led by MLC Varla Ramaiah met SEC Anil Chandra Punetha and handed over 19 complaints covering 17 locations, with a pen drive of videos. Ramaiah alleged the YSRCP turned to violence and cash distribution out of fear of defeat. No TDP response to Jagan's charges, or SEC response to either side, had been reported.
