Poll outcome in AP: Neutral voters play key role as State records over 80% polling

Vijayawada: All the top leaders of political parties have taken a break from the hectic political schedule they had during the last two months and have gone abroad and would be back ahead of June 4, the counting day.

In the meantime, the other leaders have been asked to evaluate the polling pattern and work out who stands better chance of forming the government in the State and which section could have voted for which party.

Sources say that this election is a very crucial one as the State had witnessed more than 80 per cent polling. They feel that neutral voters this time would be playing decisive role in deciding the fortunes of contesting candidates. Some leaders maintain strong bonds with local people while some leaders have a large number of fans and supporters.

They are pinning their hopes on them and feel that they would have voted for them but at the same time are keeping their fingers crossed. As the date for counting the votes is fast approaching, there is a strong feeling that this time more than the caste and religion, it was the issue of livelihood and social security that took centre stage based on which the voters would have decided on their choice of candidates.

While Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has been highlighting the welfare schemes launched by his government in the last five years and the way he had brought revolution in administration by taking governance to the doorsteps of the people, the opposition leaders like N Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and BJP contestants whether it be State chief D Purandeswari or others had been harping on how the State suffered in terms of lack of development and the Land Titling Act and came up with several sops like ‘Super Six’ for the poor.

In the backdrop of this, the main contesting parties are busy evaluating which section could have voted for whom. What one does not understand yet is about the workers in the transport sector. This sector is one of the important sectors in the State. Lakhs of workers and families depend on the transportation of goods particularly because it is rich in poultry, aqua cultivation, paddy cultivation, coconut and other such products.

This sector has been suffering on account of highest cost of diesel and petrol in the State as compared to other parts of the country.

Lakhs of truck drivers, truck operators including mini trucks, passenger vehicles have been demanding reduction in the high taxes collected by the government compared to Telangana and Tamil Nadu on petrol and diesel and other taxes like green tax and road tax. But, there has been no response from the government for many years. Their vote share is not small. It is estimated that it could be around 20 percent. Hence they can tilt the balance.