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Cong-TRS sweeps AP poll

Hyderabad, May 11
The Congress and its allies in Andhra Pradesh has gained the absolute majority, thereby sounding an end to the 10-year Chandrababu Naidu Government. In the 294-member Assembly, the Congress and allies have got 214 seats, TDP and allies 50 and others 30.

TDP's N. Chandrababu Naidu has, however, retained his Kuppam seat.

The Congress-led coalition that includes Left parties was leading in all the three regions of coastal Andhra, Telengana and Rayalseema. In Rayalseema alone, the TDP was putting up a semblance of fight while in the other two regions it was suffering huge losses.

However, the top leaders in the race Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Congress chief ministerial prospect Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy and TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao have won from their respective constituencies.

Counting of votes for 294-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly began on Tuesday morning amidst tight security.

The fate of 1,896 candidates, including senior TDP leader and Home Minister T. Devender Goud (Medchal), several state ministers, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President Chandrasekhar Rao (Siddipet) and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President D. Srinivas (Nizamabad) would be decided on Tuesday.

Counting of votes began at 8 am and the results are expected to be out by Tuesday evening.

Early counting has been ordered in Andhra Pradesh as the new government should be in place by May 13 when the six-month deadline of the caretake TDP Cabinet ends.

About 10,000 personnel have been drafted for counting of votes, which is expected to be a quick affair with electronic voting machines (EVMs) being deployed at all polling booths for the first time in the state.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure smooth counting of votes at 115 designated centres spread 42 cities and towns.  PTI