 "TDP supporters in Hyderabad, on Tuesday, after voting results were declared. (Photo: PTI)")
Andhra Pradesh witnessed a strong comeback by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Tuesday when the party and its alliance were leading in 165 of the total 175 seats in the state.
According to the latest updates, the alliance had already won 44 seats. While TDP itself led in a majority of 136 seats, alliance partners like Telugu film star Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party were leading in 21 seats, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in eight seats at the time of going to print.
On the other hand, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) hardly managed to hold on to a lead in 10 seats, compared to the thumping majority of 151 seats it had in 2019.
The TDP had won only 23 seats, and the Jana Sena only one seat during the last Assembly polls. The state is set to see the return of N Chandrababu Naidu as its chief minister for the fourth time, and the second time after bifurcation in 2014. He is reportedly gearing up to take the oath on June 9.
The TDP was leading in 16 of the state’s 25 Lok Sabha seats, becoming a key force nationally (the BJP is ahead in three seats and Jana Sena in two).
Naidu himself was set for a comfortable victory of close to 40,000 votes at the Kuppam constituency, against YSRCP’s K R J Bharath.
Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan won the Pithapuram Assembly seat with a margin of 70,279 votes. On the other hand, YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was leading by around 61,700 votes in the Pulivendula Assembly constituency over his nearest rival, former Member of Legislative Council Mareddy Ravindranath Reddy of TDP.
Interestingly, in terms of vote share, the TDP got 45.57 per cent, compared to its 39.17 per cent in 2019. On the other hand, the YSRCP saw its share dipping from 49.95 per cent in the last elections to 39.45 per cent in the 2024 Assembly polls. The other major gainer was the BJP, which saw its share increase from 0.84 per cent to 2.82 per cent.
“We were supporting the people with many schemes. Although we did good to the people, we were defeated,” Reddy said in a press conference.
The Jana Sena and Kalyan became a clear “Man of the Match” with a 100 per cent strike rate by winning all the 21 seats it contested.
“You truly are the game changer of this election. You are the Man of the Match! Your deep concern for the people of Andhra Pradesh, your foresight, your heartfelt desire for the state’s development, your sacrifices, and your political strategies have manifested in this terrific result. I am simply proud of you! Heartiest congratulations,” said veteran actor Chiranjeevi of his brother Kalyan.
“Andhra Pradesh has given an exceptional mandate to NDA! I thank the people of the state for their blessings. I congratulate @ncbn Garu, @PawanKalyan Garu and the karyakartas of @JaiTDP, @JanaSenaParty, and @BJP4Andhra for this emphatic victory. We will work for the all-round progress of Andhra Pradesh and ensure the state prospers in the times to come,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.
According to political experts, several factors worked against the YSRCP during the current elections. This included his increased thrust on welfare scheme implementation over governance and infrastructure development.
On the other hand, both Naidu and Kalyan reached out to people, assuring them that they would bring jobs and industrial development to the state. The alliance batted for a welfare-plus-development model.
Another factor that worked against the YSRCP was the state’s inability to come out with capital even after 10 years. The non-existence of capital, 10 years after the state was bifurcated, seems to have played on the minds of the voters.
Although Naidu had floated and planned Amaravati as its new capital, Reddy derailed it by floating the three-capital theory. In addition to this, the arrest of Naidu in September 2023 also resulted in creating a feeling in public, in favour of the TDP stalwart. Naidu is set to attend the NDA alliance meeting in Delhi on Wednesday.
