Clear skies after Arnab cyclone expected to ensure decent poll percentage in North Andhra districts

VIZIANAGARAM/PARVATIPURAM/SRIKAKULAM: Clear weather is expected to ensure decent turnout in Vizianagaram mayoral elections which began peacefully on Sunday (November 1, 2026). As many as 229 polling stations have been set up across 62 divisions in the Fort City. A total of 1649 officials and staff have been monitoring the election process. Collector S.Ramsundar Reddy and election observer Tej Bharat have been monitoring the election process in Vizianagaram as well as other parts of the district.

The district officials heaved a sigh of relief with the clear skies on Sunday as the district was badly affected with the impact of the recent Arnab cyclone. As many as 2.23 lakh voters will elect the new mayor among the seven contesting candidates including TDP’s nominee Avanapu Bharagavi, YSRCP candidate Kolagatla Sravani and Congress nominee Boora Iswharya Lakshmi. Bahujan Samaj Party’s candidate Lingala Parvati, Aam Admi Party’s nominee Kota Suneetha, independents Sparsha Chowdary, Bellana Santosh Kumari are also trying their luck in the elections..

As many as 169 corporator candidates are contesting in 62 divisions of Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation. In previous elections, YSR Congress Party won 48 divisions out of 50 which were now 62 with expansion of the city. TDP got only one seat and an independent was also elected but later joined YSRCP. The indirect election held in 2021 helped YSRCP corporator Vempadapu Vijaya Lakshmi to become the mayor of the city.

TDP which lost local body elections in 2021 had defeated YSRCP in 2024 Assembly elections. TDP nominee Aditi Vijaya Lakshmi Gajapathi Raju who won against YSRCP nominee Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy with a margin of 60,609 votes has been striving hard to ensure the victory of Ms. Bhargavi. The ruling party has taken up the elections as a challenge as it was confined to only one division in earlier local body elections.

Mr.Veerabhadra Swamy who defeated Ms. Aditi in 2019 general elections is keen for the victory of his daughter Kolagatla Sravani who previously worked as the Deputy Mayor between 2021 and 2026. TDP is contesting for 48 wards and its alliance partner Jana Sena Party has fielded candidates in ten divisions. BJP was given four divisions during the seat sharing agreement. Apart from Vizianagaram, the elections are being held for Bobbili and Nellimarla civic bodies of Vizianagaram district.

A total of 497 officials and employees are monitoring the election at 69 polling stations in Bobbili where TDP and YSRCP are striving hard for the victory. In previous elections, YSRCP won the Bobbili and Nellimarla civic bodies. It is keen to retain both the seats. Civic body polls began peacefully in flood-affected Ichchapuram and Palasa towns of Srikakulam district. The polling has been peaceful in Salur, Parvatipuram and Palakonda municipalities of Parvatipuram-Manyam district.

The officials are hopeful of over 80 percent polling in the respective civic bodies as the weather is clear in North Andhra region.