Ruling YSR Congress party headed by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, which has bagged more than 80 per cent of the gram panchayats in the just concluded elections, has done exceedingly well even in the remote tribal areas of the state.
According to a study made by an independent agency, the YSRC-backed candidates have won 671 out of 893 tribal panchayats in seven assembly constituencies in five coastal Andhra districts of Vizianagaram, Srikalulam, Viskahapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari.
This accounts for 75.1 per cent of the total number of tribal gram panchayats in the state. The Telugu Desam Party, which has been claiming to have won nearly 40 per cent of the gram panchayats in the state, has actually won only 14.5 per cent of the tribal gram panchayats.
In Kurupam assembly constituency of Vizianagaram district, the YSRC won 99 out of 138 tribal panchayats, as against 21 panchayats bagged by the Telugu Desam Party.
In the Salur assembly constituency of the same district, the YSRC 70 out of 79 gram panchayats, whereas the TDP could get only six.
In Palakonda ST constituency in Srikakulam district, the YSRC won 127 out of 146 tribal gram panchayats, compared to 17 of the TDP.
In Araku valley constituency of Visakhapatnam district, the YSRC has won 91 out of 134 gram panchayats, as against 16 of the TDP.
In Paderu constituency of the same district, the ruling party won 81 out of 109 gram panchayats, leaving only 18 to the TDP.
In Ramachodavaram constituency of East Godavari district, the YSRC won 137 of 186 gram panchayats and TDP 27; while in Polavaram of West Godavari district, YSRC and TDP won 66 and 25 gram panchayats respectively out of 101 gram panchayats.
While independents bagged 49 (5.5 percent) gram panchayats, CPI (M) won 25 gram panchayas (2.8 per cent), CPI and Jana Sena-BJP combine won eight panchayats each.