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It is a great victory for Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who fought against all odds -- there were no star campaigners for the party, a united opposition, a sort of non-cooperation from within the party and entry of a new political party, Praja Rajyam, which has a backing of a strong community in coastal Andhra,
The Congress has 157 seats in the 294-member assembly, while the Telugu Desam-led Mahakutami could win only 106 seats, including 91 for TDP, 10 for TRS, four for CPI and one for CPI-M. The PRP remained a poor third with 18 seats. Others could get 13 seats, including two BJP, one Lok Satta, seven MIM and three independents.
The election results have surprised the poll-pundits, who were predicting that there would be a hung assembly in the state this time and that the seats of PRP would be crucial in deciding the fate of the new government.
There are many reasons for the victory of the Congress in the assembly elections. The main reason is that it was completely a positive vote for the Congress government. In the last five years, the YSR government had fulfilled all its promises on implementing welfare and development programmes. The schemes implemented by the Congress government fetched YSR the victory. Thus, there was no anti-incumbency factor this time. The anti-government vote, if any, was split between the TDP and the PRP. Secondly, the alliance with the TRS proved to be a nemesis for the TDP. The TRS has not only fared poorly even in the Telangana strongholds, but also spoiled the chances of the TDP. This was evident from the way the Congress won more than 40 seats in Telangana region. There was no transfer of votes even among the TDP and the Communist parties in many areas.
And the PRP also spoiled the TDP chances. Chiranjeevi's social justice slogan failed to impress the people and he heavily banked on caste polarisation, especially the Kapu factor in the coastal Andhra, hoping to eat into the Congress vote bank. But, it could only eat into the TDP votes, damaging the latter's prospects. Chiranjeevi himself lost his Palacole assembly segment in his native West Godavari district, though he won the Tirupati seat with a meagre margin of around 10,000 votes. Analysts say the TDP would have benefitted much, had there been no PRP in the fray; or there should have been an alliance between the Congress and the TDP.
Finally, the TDP's much-hyped cash transfer scheme and supply of free colour televisions to the poor also have failed to make any impact on the electorate.
YS Jagan has won with triumphant majority from Cuddapah. With happiness filled eyes he said in front of media camera, “Andhra Jyothy and Eenadu should open their eyes at least now. Nothing can dominate ‘praja balam’. Those two news dailies have written many wrong things about me. And now people have showered victory on me. I’m indebted to people of Cuddapah. I serve them for my life time. I don’t take even the center gives me any ministry. I stay only in the state and particularly in Cuddapah”.
Well he uttered the names of Andhra Jyothy and Eenadu as soon as he won the election. Is that an indirect ‘khabaddar’ warning for those two news dailies? We have to wait and see what his game plan will be in coming years.
Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah has won from Janagam with just 44 votes. An EVM didn’t respond for a few hours and that has heated up the tension for quite long time. At last the votes in that last EVM were counted and Ponnala won with just 44 vote margin at last with huge tension.
Is Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu conceding defeat of his party well in advance?
One would get this doubt after listening to his talk at the party office after the announcement of exit polls by various channels. He told the party workers not to get disheartened by the exit poll results, but he asked them to be prepared for any result. “Whatever may be my position or post after the elections, I continue to remain with the party workers and work for the interest of the people,” he said.
He also admitted that though there were reports that male voters preferred the Congress, women voters preferred the TDP to the Congress. What is more, he blamed it on the grassroot level party workers for failing to take the high-level corruption of the Congress into the people effectively. What does all this show? Naidu’s lack of confidence on the party’s victory. Better, be prepared for the worst. At least, you will get better results.
Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) is putting up a strange argument before the people. Its president Chiranjeevi says there would be no third front after the elections, as the parties have ideological differences, which was evident from the way the Telangana Rashtra Samithi deserted it and joined the NDA camp.
So, Chiranjeevi says there is no scope for the Third Front; but there are bright chances for the Fourth Front to come to power at the Centre. His party leaders like Jalli Siddaiah even asked Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu to join the fourth front, since there is no possibility of formation of a third front.
One wonders how there can be a fourth front, without third front. A media correspondent said if there is no third front after polls, then the fourth front itself will become the third front. So, why call it a fourth front? Well, the PRP leaders had no answer!
Vijayawada Congress MP and maverick leader Lagadapati Rajagopal has once again displayed his out and out anti-Telangana feeling.
One does not know who had asked him, Lagadapati conducted his own exit polls by engaging two agencies. There is no mention of how and when the survey was done, but he released the results of exit polls, much to the astonishment of the Congress leaders themselves.
According to his survey, most of the Telangana ministers would not win their seats. They include Ponnala Lakshmaiah, J Geetha Reddy, Sabita Indra Reddy, Vinod, Shabbir Ali, Ratnakar Rao, Jeevan Reddy, D Raj Narasimha, Chinna Reddy, Mukesh Goud and Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, Even Speaker Suresh Reddy’s name does not figure in the list of winning candidates. There are a few other ministers from other regions like R Chenga Reddy, Konathala Ramakrishna, Mandali Buddha Prasad and Pinnamaneni Venkateshwara Rao, but they are known to be opponents of Rajagopal.
So, whoever Rajagopal doesn’t like, they all will lose the elections. But what about Rajagopal himself? There are reports that he is going to be defeated this time. What do you say about it?
Open Invitation to NRIs supporters, friends, well wishers of Political Parties (PRP, CONGRESS, TDP, TRS, BJP etc).
With recent activities conducted by NRIs groups and had played an active role in Andhra Pradesh Elections and Looking on the news about Top US Officials are curious in meeting the Local Political Leaders in Andhra Pradesh, now its time for NRIs for Election Results Hungama in USA. The idea is to assemble at one venue and view the election results updates and to see analyze which party will form the government in Andhra Pradesh and whom did people of Andhra Pradesh Elect.
This is a general invitation to NRIs supporters, friends, well wishers of Political Parties (PRP, CONGRESS, TDP, TRS, BJP etc) to view the election results on Friday May 15th Night at 8:30 PM PST. Speaking on this event Organizers Chandru Seelam, Srinivasa Manapragada, Srikanth Palivela, Ram Thota, Sekhar Ganji told arrangements are going in full pace to view the election results live on TV9 and will be offering a premier viewer ship with live streaming without interruption at Hyderabad Biriyani House, Fremont Hub, Fremont, CA. Food and Drinks will be available. Announcing, Srinivasa Manapragada told , we are also planning to contact the local teams to hold similar events in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta, New Jersey, New York, Detroit, Dallas, UK, Ireland, Germany, Muscat, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand watch out for Venues.
Venue for Bay Area Location Hyderabad Biriyani House (Time: 8:30 PM) 39134, Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538, Next to Office Max, Phone: 510 793 3353. All are Welcome.
We are also offering very special price dinner to all attendees. Apetizer+Biryani+Drink =$10
