TIRUPATI: With the State Election Commission (SEC) sounding the bugle for panchayat polls, the political scenario in villages across the state is further warming up. The contest would be the first litmus test to gauge the political mood of Andhra Pradesh after the 2019 general elections.
Political experts say the civic polls would take on the form of a referendum on the performance of YSRC government even as the ruling party is seeking to avoid contests and have unanimous election of candidates. The Opposition suspects the aim of the YSRC is to skip a fight and instead engage in coercion.
Both the Telugu Desam Party and the BJP-Jana Sena combine are hard at work to secure more seats so that the ruling party can be taken on with more confidence in the coming months and years. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has sent messages to all mandal-level party functionaries and probable candidates to file as many nominations as possible to prevent the unanimous polls move by the…