50,815 in the fray for MPTC and ZPTC seats: TDP fields 21,453 candidates, YSRCP 19,171

The nomination phase is over and the numbers are in. After the State Election Commission’s scrutiny, 50,815 nominations stand for the MPTC and ZPTC elections: 46,045 candidates for 9,829 MPTC seats and 4,770 for 659 ZPTC seats, roughly five for every mandal seat and seven for every district seat. Polling will be held in 9,829 of the state’s 9,858 MPTCs and 659 of 663 ZPTCs, with about 2.81 crore voters on the rolls.

Party by party, the TDP leads with 19,760 MPTC and 1,693 ZPTC candidates, 21,453 in all. The YSRCP follows with 17,726 and 1,445, a total of 19,171, a gap of 2,282 between the two. Jana Sena has 4,330 MPTC and 587 ZPTC candidates, the BJP 1,049 and 227. The three NDA partners together field 27,646, or 54.4 per cent of everyone in the race; the YSRCP accounts for 37.7 per cent. Congress, with 755, is at about one and a half per cent. There are 2,239 independents.

District by district

The largest MPTC fields are in Srikakulam (2,806), Vizianagaram (2,511), Anakapalli (2,394), Eluru (2,310) and Nellore (2,231). The YSRCP has more MPTC candidates than the TDP in Anakapalli, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur and Bapatla. The TDP’s biggest leads are in Palnadu (802 to 144) and YSR Kadapa (792 to 226). For ZPTC seats the busiest districts are Tirupati (280), Vizianagaram (254) and Nellore (250).

This is not the final list. Appeals against rejected nominations are decided on 26 October, withdrawals close on 27 October and the final list is published the same day. Polling is on 3 November from 7 am to 5 pm, in a single phase by ballot paper, with a repoll if needed on 4 November and counting on 5 November.