YSRC, TDP aim for a clean sweep in Krishna district in 2024
VIJAYAWADA: Will the YSRC, which bagged 14 out of 16 MLA seats and one of the two Lok Sabha seats in Krishna district in the last elections, make a clean sweep in 2024? Will the TDP make a turnaround and regain its lost glory in the district, where it has been a dominant force since inception of the party? With the elections only a year away, these two questions are now in the minds of everyone.
In 2019, the YSRC won one Lok Sabha and 14 Assembly seats in Krishna district. It lost Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat to the TDP. Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) retained the seat. Gannavaram and Vijayawada East were the two Assembly seats in the district, which the TDP could retain in the last polls.
Both the YSRC and the TDP, which are confident of bagging the maximum number of seats in the district, have already started their campaign to win the people’s trust. While YSRC leaders are going to the people through the Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam programme highlighting the welfare schemes and development programmes of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government, the TDP has taken up the Edemi Karma Mana Rashtraniki protest to expose the failures of the YSRC regime on all fronts.After the recent violence in Gannavaram, the ruling and opposition leaders have intensified the war of words.
While the TDP wants to recapture the seats it lost in the last elections, taking advantage of anti-incumbency factor, the YSRC on the other hand, is trying to make a clean sweep in the district, taking advantage of infighting in the TDP.
Gannavaram MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi, who won the seat on TDP ticket, shifted his loyalties to the ruling YSRC, effectively rendering the TDP strength in the district to one MLA and one MP seats.
According to those who are keenly observing the political situation unfolding in the district ahead of the 2024 elections, the YSRC needs to address the dissidence in the party and anti-incumbency factor, if it wants to retain all the seats in the next elections.
The YSRC seems to have an edge in rural segments, given its welfare schemes, while urban voters, especially salaried class are moving further away from the party, given the issues pertaining to late payment of salaries and pensions to government employees and other pending issues. Teachers, who constitute a significant number of electorate in the State, too look unhappy with the treatment they are getting from the YSRC government.
However, the YSRC leaders beg to differ and assert that all sections of the people are with their party in the district.“The welfare agenda of Jagan has increased the satisfaction levels of people like never before. In fact, the way the government has taken care of the people during the Covid-19 pandemic, they are more than impressed and want the YSRC government to continue. We are confident of making a clean sweep in the district in 2024,” asserted Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu.
Regarding differences among party MLAs like Jogi Ramesh (Pedana), who is Minister for Housing, and Vasantha Krishna Prasad (Mylavaram), he said those difference are being sorted out and would not affect the public perception of the party. He averred that there will not be any changes in MLA candidates in the next elections.
On the other hand, the TDP is also having issues in the party when it comes to Krishna district. MP Nani has differences with some of the TDP leaders, especially with former MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, former MLC Buddha Venkanna and Nagul Meera. There is a talk that the party is not effectively taking advantage of the ani-establishment factor in the district. However, the TDP is the only other alternative to the ruling YSRC in the district, political observers pointed out. If the Jana Sena Party joins hands with the TDP at this juncture, the chances of TDP will brighten, but if the BJP is also part of the alliance, it will be a disaster, they analysed.
Meanwhile, Bonda, who lost the last elections by a very narrow margin, asserted that the TDP will make a resounding come back and there is no doubt about it.“People are fed up with the YSRC government, which is increasingly becoming dictatorial and anti-people. Corruption has touched new heights in the present regime. Every section of the people is unhappy, more so employees and middle class. We are confident of regaining the lost glory by making a clean sweep if Jana Sena joins TDP, he asserted.
On the issue of differences between him and Kesineni Nani, the former MLA said every one in the party is doing his best. “Finally, anyone in the party has to toe the line of party chief N Chandababu Naidu. Party’s interests are paramount than personal interests,” he observed.
According to those in know of happenings in both the parties, Samineni Udayabhanu is still strong in Jaggaiahpet. In Nandigama, Tangirala Sowmya of TDP is weak compared to incumbent Monditoka Jagan Mohan Rao. In Mylavaram, TDP leader and former minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao is facing dissidence in the form of Bomasani Subba Rao, preventing him from taking advantage of internal differences in the ruling YSRC in the constituency.
With regard to Gannavaram, the situation looks complicated at this juncture. In Nuzvid, sitting MLA Meka Pratap Apparao of YSRC, is grooming the next generation. But TDP is yet to find a strong leader there. In Vijayawada, all the three constituencies will have an intense clash. In Gudivada, Penamaluru, Pamarru, Kaikaluru, Avanigadda and Machilipatnam constituencies, the status quo is likely to remain. However, with one year time for the elections, there may be unforeseen changes, which may tilt the fortunes of the YSRC and TDP.