HYDERABAD, MARCH 11: The TDP-BJP combine bagged a majority of the five corporations and 103 municipalities in the just concluded civic polls in Andhra Pradesh, though the ruling party did suffer some unexpected upsets.Of the five corporations, the TDP is heading for victory in Vijayawada and Guntur while its ally, the BJP's nominee, is ahead in Warangal. The Congress bagged Kurnool, while its candidate for Visakhatpatnam mayor post established a huge lead of over 40,000.According to latest information reaching the state headquarters, the Telugu Desam has either won or is ahead of others in 53 municipalities and BJP in 10. The Congress is expected to bag 32 while Independents emerged winners in eight. Almost all the Independents are TDP and Congress rebels.Among the corporations, the Congress has retained Visakhapatnam and wrested Kurnool from the Telugu Desam, but lost the Warangal mayorship to the BJP. The ruling party is set to gain Vijayawada from the CPI and retain the Guntur corporation.But the loss in Visakhapatnam and Kurnool has come as a rude shock to the ruling party. In the recent simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and Assembly, the TDP bagged both the Kurnool Lok Sabha seat and the Assembly, but has now lost the mayorship to the Congress. Feroz Begum, a political novice, won by a margin of 2,500 votes, on a Congress ticket.Similarly, the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat was wrested from the Congress by the Telugu Desam in the October polls, but in less than five months, the ruling party faced defeat in the mayoral election, alliance with the BJP notwithstanding.The shock defeats for the ruling party were four municipalities which fall in Assembly constituencies represented by ministers in the Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet - Nandyal, Adilabad, Amudalavalasa and Mahboobnagar. Barring Adilabad which was won by MIM, the other three went to Congress.N Mohammed Farooq, who represents the Nandyal Assembly seat, is ironically the Municipal Administration Minister and the Lok Sabha constituency too is in the hands of Telugu Desam.Similarly, Mahboobnagar is represented by Law Minister P Chandrasekhar, while Textiles Minister Padala Bhoomanna is from Adilabad. Amudalavalasa is represented by Small Scale Industries Minister Tammineni Sitaram.Region-wise, the Telugu Desam retained its supremacy in south coastal Andhra, winning as many as 27 out of the 37 municipal chairman posts. In the three districts of north coastal region - Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam - the TDP and Congress shared the ten seats.Of the 15 municipalities in Rayalaseema, the two main parties won six each and the BJP bagged two. In Telangana, the Telugu Desam won 15, Congress 14, BJP 7 and Independents 5.
