The ruling YSRC and the opposition alliance of TDP, Jana Sena and BJP have a real problem on their hands. With Andhra Pradesh going into assembly and Lok Sabha polls simultaneously, the stakes are much higher for everyone.
The logic behind the TDP and Jana Sena partnering with the BJP is sound—they want Narendra Modi’s credibility to add that extra bit of zing to their campaign. But any strategy can be termed successful only if it works on the ground. Going by what is unfolding ever since seat-sharing was announced, it would take a lot of doing to ensure a seamless translation to vote-sharing.
A substantial number of Jana Sena and BJP leaders and cadre are unhappy with the 31 assembly and eight Lok Sabha seats they have been allotted. Several saffron leaders are seething that out of the six Lok Sabha seats the party is contesting, quite a few have been given to those who migrated from the TDP.
Similar is the complaint of Jana Sena. Prominent state BJP leaders are missing in action, in contrast to Telangana where their counterparts are active. In private, many admit that their party leadership has displayed a weak hand in bargaining.
In the case of Jana Sena, quite a few have left the party and many of the remaining are fuming over being ‘short-changed’ by the TDP. Pawan Kalyan appeared stronger when TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu was behind bars, but then committed what his aides say is a blunder—he agreed to the alliance right outside the jail, without first holding talks on seat-sharing.
Adding insult to injury, the anticipated number of seats came down from at least 40 to a meagre 21. That even Pawan himself had to cajole a TDP leader to help him win is seen as a big climbdown for a superstar.
For the YSRC, the problem is of a different kind. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is heavily banking on the goodwill of the 2.6 lakh volunteers he recruited for the smooth delivery of schemes instead of his party cadre.
Many YSRC leaders are displeased with the way the volunteer system has diminished their clout. Ground reports suggest their cadre are not as active as TDP workers are. How the two sides deal with these issues will impact the outcome of the polls.