The YSR Congress Party wiped out the ruling TDP from Andhra Pradesh with a landslide victory in Assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections on Thursday.
This is almost like repetition of 1983 election results. In 1983, the TDP had won 201 seats out of 294 in the Assembly and secured 46.3 per cent vote share. Then Opposition Indian National Congress had won 60 seats, with 33.58 per cent vote share.
In that way, Jagan has rewritten the history by securing 145 plus seats, out of 175 Assembly segments. In his own words, this is unprecedented in the history of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. The TDP was confined to just 24 seats.
Actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena suffered humiliating defeat as Pawan himself lost both the seats he contested from Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram Assembly seats. Jana Sena won just one seat.
The YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy will take oath as new CM of Andhra Pradesh on May 30 in Vijayawada.
The results delivered a deadly blow to TDP chief and Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu, who was vigorously involved in cobbling up anti-BJP Front at national level for the past few months. Jagan’s victory is likely to change political dynamics in Telugu States. The relations between both the States which turned sour after the bifurcation due to political rivalry between TDP and TRS, are expected to become cordial due to proximity between Jagan and KCR.
Interesting discussions at the incumbent CM Jagan’s residence at Tadepalli revealed that Jagan’s top priority is Special Status to Andhra, which he will take up with the Union Government immediately after swearing-in ceremony, according to party sources. Party national general secretary V Vijaysai Reddy, ideologues Ajay Kallam and Ummareddy Venkateswarlu are assigned with the task of developing a cohesive atmosphere between State and Union Governments, as Jagan wants the smooth handling of special status issue.
State finances are in a bad shape, which has been worrying the YSRCP leaders. As the ruling party YSRCP has to address the fiscal issues on priority basis, as there is dearth of funds even to meet the salaries of the State Government employees.
Jagan’s second most priority is to ensure cordial relations with Telugu State Telangana, and hence it is likely that he would set up an Inter-State Coordination committee, to address the water disputes and assets distribution issues, between the two States.
