Election staff involved in counting of the votes at the AU Counting Centre in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: V RAJU An atmosphere of celebration, anxiety, tension and anguish prevailed at the Andhra University (AU) campus on Tuesday as it emerged as the focal point of the city during the counting of votes for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) elections.All roads appeared to lead to the AU campus, where 10 separate blocks were designated for counting votes from all the 10 zones of the municipal corporation.District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore and GVMC Commissioner and Election Officer Ketan Garg opened the strong rooms in the presence of the respective Returning Officers, following which the counting commenced.Mayoral candidates, corporator candidates, their family members, supporters and party cadres arrived at the campus in large numbers from the morning.
Television sets and LED screens were installed at various locations across the counting centre to help candidates and their supporters track the results. Groups of party workers remained glued to the screens, anxiously following every round of counting and calculating the possible margins and chances of victory.
Several supporters were seen making repeated phone calls to party leaders and fellow cadres to exchange information about the latest trends emerging from different wards.Elaborate security arrangements were made with a heavy police deployment across the campus and its surrounding areas. At a few locations, supporters of the NDA and YSRCP raised slogans against each other as the counting trends emerged, prompting police personnel to intervene and bring the situation under control.
Jana Sena Party (JSP) corporator-elect from Ward 43, Nalini, shares an emotional moment with her two sons, after her victory in the GVMC elections, outside the counting centre in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. Her husband, former corporator, Kandula Nagaraju, is also seen sharing the family's joy | Photo Credit: V RAJU Amid the tension and uncertainty, the counting centre also witnessed several heartwarming scenes as victorious candidates emerged from the counting halls after receiving their victory certificates from the Returning Officers.
Family members rushed forward to embrace them, while supporters lifted the winning candidates onto their shoulders, took selfies, showered them with flower garlands and raised slogans celebrating their victories.Some NDA supporters and candidates were seen playing with colours and waving party flags on the Maddilapalem road, celebrating their electoral victories. While the winners were immersed in celebrations, supporters of candidates who were trailing or lost the contest were seen leaving the campus in disappointment.
Published - November 03, 2026 09:25 pm IST