VIJAYAWADA: Even after 10 years of its existence, Jana Sena Party (JSP), which made its electoral debut in the 2019 general elections, is still found wanting when it comes to cadre at the grassroots level. Though it has improved to some extent, compared to 2019 and before, the improvement, those in the know of things say is only visible in urban areas, but not much in rural areas of the State. In the 10th Formation Day celebrations of the party held at Machilipatnam, JSP chief Pawan Kalyan said at present the party has 3.26 lakh active members and about five lakh members.
During a survey conducted a couple of months ago by some private organisations, it was found that in rural areas, the presence of Jana Sena is not visible as it is in urban pockets. This is in contradiction to the claim of Pawan Kalyan on vote share of the party, which was 7.24% in 2019, has improved and is around 20%. The JSP chief to buttress his argument that his party is present in rural segments of the State, said 200-plus had won as sarpanches with the help of JSP in panchayat elections.
A senior leader from the Left parties, who worked with JSP in the last elections, observed that it is not the point of cadre as the party is quite capable of mobilising masses if it wants. “What matters is leadership and the path/policy it takes. That is what is found lacking. Leadership at the middle and lower rung is found wanting. Instability is a destabilising factor and inability to stick on to one path is another negative aspect of this decade-old party,” he analysed.
He is of the opinion that JSP, which had sailed with the right wing, then changed course and moved with the left wing and again shifted its path to the right, will end up nowhere if it continues to be that inconsistent. A senior JSP leader admitted that there is still much need to be done with regard to organisational setup, more so at village and booth levels. Now, the party is focusing on these aspects, he asserted.
Despite its statements to focus on Rayalaseema, no concrete efforts have been made by the leadership to work on the ground. Pawan Kalyan had visited Anantapur and other districts in Rayalaseema and consoled families of farmers, who committed suicide unable to bear the debt burden. He organised interactive sessions with party leaders from Rayalaseema region in Tirupati in August last year. But again, there has been a long gap between such meetings. JSP leaders have only concentrated in urban areas where the party has been organising programmes against the State government.
In Nellore city, JSP leader K Vinod Reddy, a contestant from the party in the last elections, has been conducting a programme ‘Pawananna Prajabata’ and completed more than 200 days of his tour. Gunukula Kishore, district general secretary, has also been conducting JSP programmes in the city and rural limits.
In Kadapa district, the Balija community has its presence in Mydukur, Rajampeta, Railway Kodur and Rayachoti. In fact, there are no noted leaders in the district to implement the State-level calls of the party. The situation is no different in Anantapur. “‘The leadership has to focus on interacting with people from all sections and has to assure them of resolving their issues. The party has to take measures to increase its vote share in the ensuing polls with its strategy,” said a senior politician from Kurnool.
After its poll debacle in the last elections, JSP has been focusing more on East Godavari compared to other districts. Its presence has improved in Razole, Kakinada Rural and Pithapuram and to an extent in Ramachandrapuram segments. JSP district president Kandula Durgesh, PAC member Pantham Nanaji and other leaders have been working hard for the party and have extended its influence to Ravulapalem and Kothapeta in Konaseema and Yeleswaram and Jaggampeta in Kakinada. In Godavari region, the Kapu vote matters for JSP, which is an indisputable fact, hence the focus.
JSP has been focusing on North Andhra where the party has support to a certain extent after Godavari districts in the State. Pawan Kalyan first struck a chord with the people of Srikakulam when he championed the cause of Uddanam’s kidney victims. His initiative has brought about a change benefitting a large number of Uddanam people. However, sympathy and support did not translate into votes in the last elections. The party could not consolidate the situation in its favour in the elections.
A majority of Jana Sena leaders who contested the last Assembly elections, had either deserted the party or distanced themselves from it. In 2019, the party secured good number of votes in a few constituencies such as Gajuwaka, Pendurthi, Bheemunipatnam, Bhogapuram and Ichchapuram. In the undivided Visakhapatnam district, JSP has a presence in Vizag urban and Anakapalle. In rural and Agency areas, it is yet to gain a foothold.
Barring Visakhapatnam, it has very few leaders in other districts. Party general secretaries T Shiva Sankar and Bolissetti Satyanarayana, PAC member Kona Tata Rao and senior leader Sundarapu Vijaya Kumar are all from Visakhapatnam.
The recent success of Yuva Shakti and the roadshow in Vizag by Pawan Kalyan raised hopes among aspirants for Jana Sena ticket as they believe people’s support has gone up, especially among young Kapu voters in north Andhra.
(With inputs from D Surendra Kumar, S Trimurthulu and G Janardhana Rao)