Public glued to televisions at tea stalls, discussing chances of their candidates

Many people were seen glued to television sets at home, tea stalls, hotels and pan shops at the main junctions on Tuesday to know the results of the first phase of gram panchayat elections held in the State.

After the polling was completed at 3.30 p.m, people were seen discussing the winning chances of the candidates. Supporters of YSRCP, Telugu Desam Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and independents waited near the counting centres and were analysing the winning chances of their candidates.

Some villagers, party cadres, realtors and traders bet high on the winning chances of different political parties.

Villagers were seen waiting in groups at the centres and junctions for the results. Election staff started counting process in many polling stations and the counting continued till late in the night in many gram panchayats.

Celebrations

In some villages, activists of various political parties burst crackers expecting the success of their sarpanch and ward nominees. In some villages, the supporters distributed sweets and celebrated the victory of their candidates, before the official announcement was made.

Festive atmosphere was seen in many villages as the sarpanch and ward member candidates, who got majority in the first phase of the local body elections, were seen celebrating the victory by carrying the party flags.

Tight security

Police stepped up security to prevent any untoward incidents in the villages. Counting may continue post mid-night and early hours of tomorrow in some polling centres, said the officials.

At Veeravasaram, Palakoderu, Palakol, Mogalturu, Narsapuram and Poduru mandals in West Godavari district, women were seen waiting in groups for the election results.

“Hoping the victory of our candidate we distributed sweets. We are sure that our candidate will win as sarpanch as he got good majority. However, the result is not officially announced,” said the villagers in Palakol Rural mandal.

Tension prevailed in some villages for ward member posts as the competition was fierce in some panchayats.

Police imposed Section 144 at the polling centres and red zones have been declared near the counting centres as a precautionary measure.