Chandrababu Naidu is 1,000 per cent sure of winning polls in Seemandhra
Hyderabad: Like the Telugu Desam, the YSR Congress, too, is confident of victory in Seemandhra. “Whoever is the Prime Minister, he will come to us. God will ensure that they depend on our oxygen,” declared YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, as voting ended on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters at Pulivendula in Kadapa district on Wednesday evening, Mr Reddy said that “with God’s grace and people’s blessings”, the Seemandhra verdict would be like a “big tide” in favour of his party. It will be a wave from Srikakulam to Kuppam.
“I have fought with so many people all these years. While all others are on one side, I am alone on the other side. God and the people are with me in this fight,” the YSRC chief said.
Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Wednesday, “It was a one-sided election (in favour of TD). The YSRC tried hard to reduce the poll percentage but failed. More the polling more it benefits the TD-BJP combine. Telugu Desam-BJP will win hands down and form the government.”
The party exuded confident of winning more than 125 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh and thus forming the next government.
“We will win over 125 seats. Telugu Desam will form the government. I thank all the TD-BJP leaders and workers who strived hard for the success of all the candidates,” Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, the TD’s politburo member said after voting concluded on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi called up TD supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu to enquire about the polling trends in Seeman-dhra. Mr Naidu told him that the trend was favourable for the TD-BJP alliance.
Mr Naidu also said that the Congress had thrown away its flag on Tuesday while the Jai Samaikyandhra Party had vanished into thin air. “Though the YSR Congress indulged in all kinds of election malpractices, the people faced all odds and voted for their future,” he said.
The TD chief also questioned the government and the Governor for their failure to curb the flow of spurious liquor, which killed five persons, and asked for stringent action against culprits involved in attacks on police personnel, media and huge distribution of cash and spurious liquor by the rival party. “What is the government doing? What is the Governor doing? What is EC doing? Is it not their duty to take stringent action and identify the root cause of organised crime?” he asked.
Mr Naidu said that there had been unbridled flow of spurious liquor, distribution of cash and circulation of fake notes during the polls. “I was in the Opposition for 10 years and never saw such malpractices,” he added.
Stating that he had joined hands with Mr Narendra Modi and actor Pawan Kalyan to provide a strong and stable government in Andhra Pradesh, he said that the Telugu Desam-BJP combine had instilled confidence in people.
“My administrative experience and the Modi-Pawan combine has helped in garnering huge support from people. Telugu Desam will also play a key role at the Centre,” he said.
Winning in Andhra Pradesh is even more crucial for Mr Naidu’s political survival after his party has been out of power for 10 years and the TD chief left nothing to chance.
From goading his own party men to ensure a good turnout in the party’s favour, to bombarding the Chief Electoral Officer and Election Commission with complaints against its chief rival, the YSR Congress party, the TD has pulled out all the stops this time.
A senior TD leader said Mr Naidu was in touch with party leaders on Tuesday night and the whole of Wednesday. He held teleconferences, monitored the situation in every constituency, pin-pointed lapses, and tried to pep up the spirits of the party cadres.
In the middle of the campaign, Mr Naidu had released an open letter urging the electorate to reject political parties that lacked the guts to face elections in a democratic manner and indulged in high-handed behaviour, and resorted to illegal distribution of money and liquor to woo voters.
“People have to stand up against such people and save democracy. They should come out bravely and cast their vote and teach fitting lessons to those indulging in subversion of democracy,” he remarked.
He and party MP Nama Nageswar Rao, party leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy and others condemned the attack on the party’s Narasaraopet parliamentary candidate Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, distribution of money to voters in the office of Sakshi in Gudivada, and attacks by YRRC activists on superintendent of police Rajesh Kumar, additional SP Appala Naidu, constables and media personnel in Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district.
Mr Ramakrishnudu has alleged that the YSRC targeted constituencies where weaker sections were in the fray and unleashed a reign of terror in Kadapa, Ananthapur, Chittoor, Prakasam and other districts.
“Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy followed the footsteps of Y.S. Raja Reddy, and Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy by unleashing a reign of terror. They targeted weaker sections, TD leaders and activists, police and media persons. However, despite multi-pronged attack by the YSRC through use of spurious liquor, fake notes, and attacks, they failed to bring down the polling percentage,” he added.
