Amaravati: Stage set for fierce poll battle between YSRCP and TDP-JSP-BJP alliance

Amaravati : With the EC announcing the poll schedule for the Festival of De-mocracy (elections to Assembly and Lok Sabha) in Andhra Pra-desh, the stage is now set for fight to finish between the ruling YSRCP led by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the alliance consisting of TDP-Jana Sena and BJP. According to the poll schedule, elections for the Legislative As-sembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held on May 13. In a first reaction, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu said that it was the much-awaited day and asked all to start feel-ing the fresh breeze of air in the state.

Taking to X handle, he said now people should freely come out in the open as the “ty-rannical rule” has come to an end. AP has an electorate of 4.08 crore voters--two crore male, 2.07 crore female and 3,482 third gender voters, Andhra Pradesh is poised to elect members to its 16th Legislative Assembly, consti-tuting 175 constituencies, besides 25 Lok Sabha members.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP which got nearly 50 per cent vote share with 151 seats in the last assembly polls is deploying all its might to retain power. TDP secured just 23 while Jana Sena, one in 2019.

Both the TDP and YSRCP are pulling all stops to wrest power. Congress and other smaller parties have lesser impact in the poll arena. The TDP had recently rejoined the NDA alliance whereas Jana Sena has already been the local ally of BJP and TDP.

The NDA partners entered into a seat-sharing deal, according to which BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly segments, TDP 17 Parliamentary and 144 Assembly constituen-cies and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena from two Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats. Naidu has already announced the names of 128 candidates while 16 more are due, which could be done any time from now. JSP announced the names of only seven candi-dates until now, including giving clarity on his status to contest for the Assembly election from the Pithapuram constituency.

All the parties are busy dousing the fire due to dissent from those who could not get tickets. All such people are being counseled by the respective party presidents and were being given certain assurances. While the majority of them are convinced, still some protests have become inevitable.

While the YSRCP has decided to take up an intense poll cam-paign, the NDA partners have lined up an election meeting at Boppudi in Chilakaluripeta constituency on Sunday which would be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, the Congress party led by Y S Sharmila, Jagan's younger sister, has also decided to fight from all the 175 Assem-bly and 25 Lok Sabha seats during the simultaneous elections.