CHIRALA: In a surprising development, at least 13 independent candidates elected as councilors in Chirala municipality in Prakasam district. All the independent candidates were backed by former legislator Amanchi Krishnamohan of YSRC.
No other town or city in the state has seen independent candidates winning so many seats in the municipal elections of which results were declared on Sunday. Although YSRC is in a comfortable position to clinch the chairperson seat as it won 19 seats in the 32-member council, the victory of 13 rebel candidates is likely to pose more troubles to the party in the coming days.
Former MLA Amanchi fielded the rebel candidates as the party decided to extend support to the legislator Karanam Balaram who switched sides to YSRC from TDP. YSRC backed the candidates proposed by Balaram and ignored Amanchi’s strength in the town. Irked by the party’s decision to give B-forms to the candidates proposed by Balaram, Krishnamohan fielded as many as 26 candidate