Chiranjeevi flops, YSR is the superstar in AP

Hyderabad: Congress is all set to retain power in Andhra Pradesh as the party inching towards a simple majority in the state assembly.

Congress had already bagged 27 seats and is ahead in 115 constituencies. The trends for all 294 Assembly seats were available. The party needs 148 for a simple majority. Super Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party had only won two seats and are in trailing in most of the seats.

The opposition four-party alliance led by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won 20 seats and was leading in 102 more.

Others, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won two seats and were ahead in 14.

The initial trends indicated that the state was heading for its first-ever hung assembly but the ruling party improved its position as the counting progressed.

The Congress appears to be retaining power in the state for the first time since formation of the TDP in 1982.