Congress Wins 10 Wards in Chirala, Pushes YSRCP to Third Place

Congress Wins 10 Wards in Chirala Elections

The Congress party has registered an unexpected performance in the Chirala municipal elections in Andhra Pradesh, winning 10 wards and pushing the opposition YSRCP to third place. The result has drawn attention to former MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan’s political influence in the constituency.

Although the TDP-led alliance secured control of Chirala Municipality by winning 25 of the 44 wards, Congress emerged as the second-largest party. TDP won 22 wards, while Jana Sena secured two and BJP one.

Congress won 10 wards, ahead of YSRCP’s eight, while an independent candidate secured the remaining ward. Chirala was the only municipality where Congress registered ward victories in the latest Andhra Pradesh civic elections.

The Congress performance has been attributed largely to former MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan, who mobilised local support and campaigned for the party’s candidates. The results have highlighted his continued influence in Chirala politics.

Meanwhile, the TDP also secured the municipal chairperson’s post. Its candidate Yericharla Honey Spandana defeated her nearest rival, YSRCP candidate Dr Isterla Sherli, by 6,468 votes.

Honey Spandana received 21,883 votes, while Sherli secured 15,415. Congress candidate Divya Sudhakar finished third with 11,025 votes, reflecting the three-way competition for the chairperson’s position.

Interestingly, the combined votes of the YSRCP and Congress chairperson candidates exceeded those secured by the TDP candidate. However, their separate contests allowed Honey Spandana to secure the post with a clear lead over her nearest rival.

The Chirala result also carries significance for TDP, which secured the chairperson’s post through a direct election for the first time in the municipality’s history, according to local reports.

Reacting to Congress’s performance, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila congratulated Amanchi Krishna Mohan for his role in securing 10 ward victories.

Sharmila said Congress had contested 42 wards and described the party’s performance as a moral victory. She viewed the result as an encouraging development for Congress’s efforts to rebuild its presence in Andhra Pradesh.

The Congress victory has introduced a new political dimension in Chirala, where the party secured more wards than YSRCP despite the latter being the principal opposition party in Andhra Pradesh.

While the TDP-led alliance retained control of the municipality, the results have also demonstrated the role of local leadership in shaping electoral outcomes, particularly in a constituency with established political rivalries.