Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday, 9 November 2026, renewed his demand to scrap high-denomination currency notes, calling for the elimination of ₹500, ₹1,000, and ₹2,000 notes and retaining only ₹100 and ₹200 denominations. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief made the remarks at a press conference in Amaravati, linking the move to curbing corruption and accelerating India's digital economy transition.

Naidu's Case Against High-Value Notes

Naidu recalled a digital currency report he had earlier submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he had first raised the demand to phase out big-denomination notes. 'I will keep speaking on this. The notes of ₹500, ₹1,000 and ₹2,000 should be scrapped. Only notes of ₹100 and ₹200 should be retained,' he said. He argued that curbing high-value cash and promoting digital transactions are essential tools to tackle corruption. 'If technology is perfect, wealth creation and poverty alleviation are not difficult,' he added.

Local Body Election Results: NDA's Decisive Mandate

Naidu also addressed the outcome of the Andhra Pradesh local body elections, claiming a sweeping victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He said the alliance secured 58.9% of the combined votes in urban local bodies and Parishad elections — an increase of 3.6 percentage points over the 55.3% vote share recorded in the 2024 general elections. In contrast, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP)'s vote share dropped from 39.81% to 33.56%, a decline of 6.25 percentage points, widening the gap between the two sides to 25.34 percentage points.

Urban and Rural Sweep

In urban local body elections specifically, the NDA alliance polled 59.9% of votes against the YSRCP's 34.3%, achieving a strike rate of 94%. The alliance won 94 of 100 Mayor and Chairperson positions, including 12 of the 13 Mayor seats and 82 of 87 Chairperson positions. Of the total 3,941 wards, the alliance captured 3,233 — accounting for 82% — while the YSRCP managed only 558. The YSRCP failed to win a single ward in 22 urban local bodies.

ZPTC and MPTC Dominance

In Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) elections, the alliance secured 57.6% of votes and won 575 of 659 seats, holding a lead in 27 of 28 districts. The YSRCP won more ZPTC seats than the alliance only in Alluri Sitarama Raju district and failed to win a single seat in seven districts. In Mandal Praja Territorial Constituency (MPTC) elections, the alliance won 7,803 of 9,818 seats and is reportedly on course to secure around 90% of Mandal President positions statewide. TDP alone secured 70 Mayor and Chairperson positions, with Jana Sena winning 20 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) adding four.

Governance Agenda Going Forward

Naidu framed the results as a mandate not merely for the alliance but for 'good governance, social justice, new leadership and democratic values.' He also credited the local body results as evidence that the NDA had succeeded in reducing money power in elections — connecting the electoral victory back to his broader anti-corruption, pro-digital agenda. The demand to scrap ₹500 notes, if formally escalated to the Centre, would mark a significant policy flashpoint given that demonetisation in 2016 remained one of India's most contested economic interventions.