After the debacle of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh assembly election in 2019, many had started writing off the party and said it was very difficult for it to revive. This prediction seems to have proved right. Though its president N Chandrababu Naidu has been trying all the tricks up his sleeve as well as putting his 40 years plus experience in politics into play, nothing seems to be working in his favour. It looks like the last nail on the coffin for TDP is the latest loss in Kuppam municipal election, which the party held the fort for over three and half decades!
Kuppam municipality in the Kuppam Assembly constituency is the home turf of former AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. There were tensions in Kuppam municipality, which falls in the Chittoor district, on the day of the voting as the opposition TDP staged a protest alleging that the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) was rigging elections. Some non-locals were caught by TDP leaders and handed over to the Andhra Pradesh Police.
Meanwhile, TDP general secretary Lokesh alleged that outsiders were being brought to vote bogusly. According to him, the ruling party was afraid of losing. Lokesh further accused police of failing to detect electoral malpractices and criticised their role.
YSRCP led by its chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy have been hell-bent upon capturing Kuppam and they found a good opportunity now. Despite TDP efforts to retain their leaders home ground, the failed miserably. Many political leaders said that Chandrababu Naidu was confident and at time over confident that Kuppam will not slip out of TDP and did a regular campaign. Where YSRCP took up the challenge and it had its leaders stayed in Kuppam for three months to defeat Chandrababu Naidu in
Kuppam.
After the release of the notification of the election, the entire Peddireddy family toured the Kuppam and campaigned. He was successful in taking government welfare schemes to the people and in poll management. The party leaders said this is a testament to the public revolt against Chandrababu Naidu.
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It was a comprehensive victory for YSRCP, it has won 8 out of 12 municipalities with Kuppam in Chittoor district, Rayachoti and Kamalapuram in Kadapa district, Gurjala and and Dachepalli in Guntur district, Akividu in West Godavari district, Buchireddipalem in Nellore district and Bethancherla in Kurnool district. The only saving grace that came to TDP was through the Prakasam District’s Darshi municipality.
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