YS Jagan to hit the road from January 25 for electioneering

AMARAVATHI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy He will cover all the 26 districts in the State as he will be hitting the road for election campaign tentatively on January 25.

Andhra Pradesh will go to polls along with 2024 general elections.

So far, Jagan has finalised incharges (probable contestants) in 59 places, including nine MP seats. The YSR Congress has yet to finalise the candidates for the remaining seats — 16 MP seats and 125 MLA seats.

The Chief Minister would tour two districts every day. Route map is being finalised. However, a formal announcement on the electioneering would come soon.

Jagan has been meticulously planning with utmost precision based on the winning chances of candidates and those who do not fit into the inability criteria have been dropped, in spite of their loyalty to the campaign party and also the leadership.

Also Read: Caste, popularity, opposition survey reports shape YS Jagan's strategy for picking, dropping candidates

Some MLAs and MPs who have been denied tickets have made no bones in airing their anger against the decision.

MLA from Penamaluru Kolusu Parthasarathy who was denied ticket asserted that he would surely be in the fray. He is likely to join the Telugu Desam Party. He said that he was at a loss to understand why he was not given a Cabinet position despite seniority and commitment. I always said that the backward classes would be given priority in the YSR Congress, but denial of ticket to him proved that wrong. BCs and SCs would like to stand on their own without being subservient to anyone. His dignity in not organising attacks on opposition leaders and not using filthy language against anyone turned out to be his negatives.

Parthasarathi was a minister in the YS Rajasekhara Reddy Cabinet also in 2009.

Chintalapudi MLA Eliza who was denied ticket said that he would have supported a commonly acceptable candidate who had worked for the party. However, the one with who. He was replaced- Kambham Vijaya Rao - was not a unanimous choice of the party leaders and workers.

Gorantla Madhav, MP fell

Hindupur was denied ticket. Kurnool MP Sanjeev Kumar was furious over YS Jagan and quit the party as soon as he was told he would not be renominated. Minister Gunmanur Jayaram will be contesting from Kurnool.

Visakhapatnam MP MVV Satyanarayana was replaced with former MP Botcha Jhansi, wife of Minister Botcha Satyanarayana. The fate of IT Ministet Minister Gudivada Amarnath is still in limbo what with he was denied Anakapalle MLA ticket. And, candidate for Pendurthi was already finalised.

With scores of changes, Jagan is betting big on the prospects of the party. Meanwhile the Telugu Desam Party and Jana Sena combo which is trying to test their luck has yet to announce any candidate from anywhere.

Also Read: YS Jagan releases Rs 97 crore for clearing dues of welfare schemes' beneficiaries

Kapu vote which is a strong electorate in the State is being wooed by all parties. However, the community patriarch Mudragada Padmanabham has clarified that he would join the YSR Congress and hinted that he might join either the TDP or the Jana Sena. This decision of the senior leader who is not part of any political party cleared the air and the YSR Congress is bracing up to use its aces agains the Kapu card being played by the TDP-Jana Sena combine.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which secured less percentage of votes even as opposed to NOTA in the 2019 elections, has yet to announce whether it would join the TDP-Jana Sena combo or not.

YS Rajashekhara Reddy’s daughter YS Sharmila joined the Congress and is likely to spearhead the party campaign in Andhra Pradesh taking on her brother Jagan Mohan Reddy. If Sharmila could cut a three percent of vote, Jagan would find the going tough. If Sharmila’s position on whether she would be endowed with the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee presidency or not becomes clear, the Communists would announce their stand.

If the BJP goes it alone, the Communists may join hands with the TDP-JSP combine.

Else, they may play the INDIA alliance card and go with the Congress.

Against all these odds that are trying to displace him from power either by hook or by crook, Jagan is indeed girding up his loins to fight a lone battle once again.

Does the Dame Luck smile on him to give him a renewed term has to be seen on the political soap opera of Andhra Pradesh.