Delhi Confidential: Record nominations in Andhra Pradesh local polls; Indian officials to accompany Indonesian team to Odisha

Welcome to Delhi Confidential, your inside track to the power corridors of the capital. Today: From Andhra Pradesh witnessing record nomination filings for municipal elections to Indian wildlife officials offering to accompany an Indonesian delegation inspecting rescued orangutans in Odisha.

1. 01

   New High

   At a time when questions are being raised over the functioning of the Election Commission and the election process, Andhra Pradesh appears to be sending a different message when it comes to the number of nominations. Party-wise nominations for the October 28 municipal elections have broken all records, say leaders of the ruling TDP. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP has filed 8,774 nominations while the main opposition YSRCP has 8,128 nominees. Total nominations, which closed at 3 pm on Sunday, have crossed 22,800. Sources say the party wants to highlight this fact to show the credibility of the democratic exercise.

2. 02

   Checking On

   As a gesture of courtesy, Indian officials may accompany Indonesian government officials to Odisha if their proposed plan to visit and check on orangutans rescued from a forest in Balasore materialises, it is learnt. Wildlife and forest officials of the two countries collaborated closely in the past few months to process the repatriation of another orangutan rescued two years ago in Maharashtra. Orangutans are largely endemic to Indonesia and Malaysia in the wild.