TDP wins Tadipatri Municipality, JC Prabhakar Reddy elected chairperson

Of the 74 municipalities that went for polls, the TDP won only Tadipatri. The TDP lost the Mydukur municipality in the Kadapa district though it had won more seats than the ruling YSRC.

TDP leader Prabhakar Reddy had shifted his party councilors to a camp to ensure that they are not poached. "Hats off to chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He would have wrested the seat if he wanted to, but he did not," Prabhakar Reddy said.

A few days ago, Prabhakar Reddy said the TDP councilors won due to the slogan of 'Save Tadipatri' and not because of the TDP. Of the 36 councilor seats, the TDP won 18, YSRC 16, and CPI and an Independent, one each. With the YSRC having two ex-officio votes (local MLA and MP), the focus was on CPI and Independent councilors.

Prabhakar Reddy had shifted all the party councilors along with CPI and Independent candidates to a camp to prevent poaching by the ruling party. Similarly, the YSRC also ran a camp for its leaders. For four days, both sides managed to keep their flock together.

The YSRC fielded Fayaz Basha as its chairperson candidate and TDP chose Prabhakar Reddy. In the voting, Prabhakar Reddy got 20 votes and the YSRC 18. Similarly, the deputy chairperson post was won by TDP's P Saraswati.

In Mydukur, of the 24 wards, the TDP won 12, YSRC 11 and Jana Sena Party one. With the YSRC having two ex-officio votes, the lone JSP candidate became the focal point. However, one of the ward members went "missing" before the TDP shifted its winning candidates to a camp. Mahboob Bee and the JSP candidate abstained from the swearing-in ceremony paving way for the YSRC to win the municipality. YSRC's M Chandra was elected chairperson.