The ruling YSR Congress Party bagged the seats unanimously at least in 39 wards in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh as the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended on Wednesday.

The ruling party was in an advantageous position, winning the ward member seats uncontested in seven wards in Naidupeta, 5 in Sullurpeta, 6 in Atmakur in SPSR Nellore district and in 5 wards in Markapur, in 7 wards in Kanigiri and in seven wards in Giddalur as the nominees from other parties withdrew from contest at the fag-end, according to reports received till late on Wednesday.

It was only in Addanki that the Telugu Desam Party(TDP) was able to field candidates in all the wards except in the eighth ward, where the TDP nominee Kati Kumariah withdrew from contest on the penultimate day on Tuesday.

In a curious turn of events, YSRCP nominee Botcha Parasuram too withdrew from contest just before the deadline for withdrawal of nominations came to close on Wednesday. This followed hectic parleys by sitting TDP MLA Gottipatti Ravikumar. While the TDP nominees were locked in fierce contest with the ruling party in 18 places, the party backed an independent candidate in one ward.

In Atmakur, the home constituency of Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy in Nellore district, the YSRCP won six of the 23 wards uncontested. As many as 52 candidates were in the fray, including 13 from the TDP, five from the BJP, four from the Communist Party of India(Marxist), three from the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP), Jana Sena Party and CPI two each. Independents were in the fray in six wards. In Naidupeta, the TDP could find candidates for only 13 of the 24 wards, where the YSRCP had a clear edge.

In Markapur town, the YSRCP bagged unanimously five wards leaving 139 candidates to test their electoral fortunes in 30 other wards. In Giddalur town, the nominees of the ruling party won seven of the 20 wards uncontested.

In Ongole, YSRCP nominee U.Saroja bagged the 28th division uncontested. Contest is inevitable in the 49 other divisions in the Municipal Corporation. It was a multi-cornered contest as the YSRCP was in the fray in all the divisions, TDP in 45 divisions, Jana Sena Party in 14, BJP and Congress in 8.

In view of court cases, there will be no elections to Nellore Municipal Corporation as also in Gudur, Kavali, Buchireddypalem and Alluru towns in SPSR Nellore district and in Kandukur, Podili and Darsi towns in Prakasam district.