Both YSRCP, NDA exude confidence after heavy voter turnout in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati: After heavy voter turnout in Andhra Pradesh, both the ruling YSR Congress and the opposition TDP-JSP-BJP alliance claimed that the trend indicates their victory.

While YSR Congress remains confident of retaining power, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) claimed that the huge turnout, which is likely to cross 80 per cent, reflects people's aspiration for a change.

TDP leaders interpret voter enthusiasm as their anger towards the "destructive" rule of YSR Congress and their wish to see TDP back in power.

TDP supremo and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu believes that there is no doubt that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will come to power in the state. He said that despite the YSRCP resorting to violence at many places to scare voters, they voted in large numbers to bring TDP and NDA to power.

The TDP leaders said that the YSRCP's "misrule" angered people so much that more than six lakh voters who reside in other parts of the country came to the state to cast their votes for NDA.

The TDP camp is confident of storming to power with 130-140 seats in the 175-member Assembly. It also expects 23 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

In 2019, the YSRCP had come to power with a landslide majority of 151 seats. It also bagged 22 seats.

The TDP, which had contested alone, secured only 23 Assembly and three Lok Sabha seats. Jana Sena Party (JSP) of actor Pawan Kalyan, which had an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Left parties, could win one Assembly seat. The BJP drew a blank.

This time the three parties joined hands to take on YSRCP. TDP contested 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats. JSP fielded candidates in 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha constituencies while BJP contested 10 Assembly and six Lok Sabha seats.

The JSP also exuded confidence that it will win 18 Assembly seats. Its leaders say there was a tight fight in the remaining three constituencies. Pawan Kalyan, who had lost from both the Assembly seats he contested in 2019, is confident of a win from Pithapuram. JSP's political affairs committee chairman N. Manohar is confident of victory from Tenali.

JSP leaders claimed that there was strong anti-incumbency which would help the tripartite alliance to register a massive victory.

The BJP camp is confident of winning four Lok Sabha seats. The saffron party claims to have given a tough fight in two other constituencies. BJP leaders say former union minister and state BJP president D. Purandeswari will win Rajahmundry Lok Sabha seat.

The BJP is confident of improving on its 2014 performance when it bagged four Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats. It had then contested the polls in alliance with the TDP. JSP had extended support to the alliance.

Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress is also equally confident of retaining power. It believes that the welfare schemes implemented by it during the last five years and the "poor credibility" of Chandrababu Naidu will help it form the government once again.

YSRCP leaders say the party's majority may come down but they will comfortably form the government by winning 110-120 seats. They claim that the voting trend was positive for the party in at least 100 constituencies.

"The heavy polling of 2019 was to throw TDP out of power but this time people have voted for the YSR Congress government as they are happy with its performance and want it to continue in power," said YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy.

YSRCP leaders claim that beneficiaries of several welfare schemes of the government voted in favour of the party.

In Monday’s polling, the voters decided the political fortunes of 2,841 candidates. While 2,387 candidates were in the fray for 175 Assembly seats, 454 contestants fought for 25 Lok Sabha seats.