Will AP go for Early Polls?

Will there be early elections in Andhra Pradesh? Notwithstanding the statement of Chief Minister Y S Jagan mohan Reddy that still nine months are left for the polls, the main opposition parties are certain that Jagan will dissolve the Assembly in July after a brief monsoon session and will pave the way for elections in December along with other five states including Telangana.

The TDP and Jana Sena have told their rank and file not to give credence to the statement of Jaganmohan Reddy. They said it was a ploy by Jagan to divert the attention of the opposition parties and go in for early polls so that they would be caught unprepared.

Jana Sena president Pawan also made it clear that Jana Sena would contest elections in Telangana also. In Telangana, Jana Sena as of now would be going alone and will not have any alliance with anyone. In future if a need arises, he would inform the rank and file, he said.

However, as far as Andhra Pradesh is concerned, he said alliance was certain but he did not elaborate further.

In fact Pawan in consultation with his producers reworked his shooting schedules. He told them that originally he wanted to start his Varahi Yatra sometime in August but since there are indications of early polls, he wants to concentrate on strengthening the party from grass root level and keep the cadre poll ready.

The TDP too has asked their cadre to go ahead with their mass contact programme as if polls are to be held in December itself.

Both Jana Sena and TDP are closely watching the moves of BJP particularly in the view of the recent sharp criticism of YSRCP andJaganmohan Reddy by BJP national president J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during their public meetings at Tirupati and Visakhapatnam last week. There is general feeling among the public that the BJP was playing a duel game and its anti YSRCP stance was only part of its strategy to help the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh.

In the backdrop of this situation, as of now, it appears that only TDP and Jana Sena are in advanced stage of alliance talks.