VISAKHAPATNAM: The TDP has registered an impressive victory in the North Andhra Graduates’ Constituency MLC elections as the party nominee Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao got a majority of over 34,000 votes against his nearest YSRC candidate Sitamraju Sudhakar.
However, it was not easy for the Opposition to win against a formidable ruling YSRC, which has a large number of elected representatives, including five ministers, in Uttarandhra.
Though it is believed graduate voters, mostly employees and teachers, voted against the government, the gamble of the TDP fielding a teacher from the graduates’ constituency has paid off. Three factors played a role in the high-profile MLC election, which has been dubbed the semi-finals for the 2024 general elections.
Kapu community, which has been drifting away from the TDP, rallied behind the TDP candidate in the election and their support also helped in the victory of the TDP. Top it all a constructive campaign by students and colleagues of Chiranjeevi, a lecturer for 25 years, in support of their ‘economy’ master on social media played a crucial role. Through 30 WhatsApp groups, they spread the feel-good image of ‘economy’ Chiranjeevi.
It was really a masterstroke by TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu with regard to the selection of the candidate. The selection of Chiranjeevi changed the entire equation in the election gamut and ultimately TDP emerged victorious. Chiranjeevi has covered all 34 segments of the constituency and struck a chord with the voters through his students and colleagues.
Teachers belonging to APTF voted for Chiranjeevi and the agreement on the second preference vote between TDP and the Left tilted scales in favour of Chiranjeevi. The TDP seems to be happy as it has regained its lost ground in North Andhra, which has been its citadel, after the poll debacle in 2019.