But when finally the results come, it may reflect not the mood of the electorate but the muscle and money power of the ruling Party. Probably it is this factor that makes Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu repeatedly assert that his party will bag all the dozen seats.
Naidus hectic electioneering, touching each constituency in two rounds something he had not done even during the crucial Lok Sabha poll is indicative of his nervousness after imposing taxes to net Rs 3,000 crore, and also a cut in subsidies.
While the TDP can expect an easy walk over in the Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency vacated by Rao, its main challenge is in Patapatnam Assembly constituency where N T Rama Raos widow, Lakshmi Parvathi is the candidate in a triangular fight with Congress and TDP.
Parvathi is fully exploiting the anti-poor policies of Naidu. But Naidu is leaving no stone unturned to keep her out of the Assembly. Almost a score TDP functionaries, including half a dozen senior Ministers, are stationed in the constituency, and there are reports of induction of specialists in rigging from Rayalaseema and Vijayawada into Patapatnam.
Of the 11 Assembly vacancies, seven are due to the sitting TDP member having got elected to the Lok Sabha. While the Congress is contesting all the 11 seats, the TDP has left Sujatnagar to its ally, the CPI.
Naidus main anxiety is that if he loses any of these seats, it would be taken as a verdict against his taxation policies. The Congress is banking on the strong anti-establishment sentiment, especially the watering down of populist measures like subsidised rice and power schemes, and is confident of bagging half a dozen seats.
