VIJAYAWADA: AP is bristling with Yatras by rival political formations targeting each other even as perceptions are that the ruling YSRC is unbeatable on the electoral front, if the series of recent elections were any indication.
The YSRC is bent on retaining its strong mass base and Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy is not inclined to concede the hard-won support for him and his party. It has embarked on a house-to-house visit styled as Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam and a Samajika Bheri Bus Yatra, while the main Opposition Telugu Desam launched a Baduday Badudu campaign and holding a Mahanadu to expose the “misdeeds” of the Jagan-led state government.
Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, not a strong force though, started a Kaulu Rythu Bharosa Yatra. The BJP, which too is not on a strong footing in the state yet, is bringing its national president JP Nadda to the state to address public meetings.
Clearly, the YSRC is taking the upper hand in the hectic political campaign.
Pawan Kalyan held his Kaulu Rythu Bharosa Yatra offering compensation to tenant farmers’ families with funds from his party and, after a pause, he is resuming the yatra.
For the BJP, Nadda will tour the state for two days, June 5 and 6, when he will participate in party meetings and address the public in Rajamahendravaram and Vijayawada.
Notably, several surveys in recent days revealed a growing support for the YSRC, with around 65 per cent of the masses – mainly from the lower strata – saying they were enthused by the welfare schemes and the style of Jagan Reddy’s governance. However, several sections of the society, mainly the middle income groups and urban elite are unhappy with his governance.
It is in this context that the chief minister has asked his ministers and MLAs to visit every house to explain the government’s welfare schemes and development activities and explain the benefits each family gets from the government.
Further, the CM has asked the ministers and legislators to note down the complaints from every household to initiate steps to resolve them so as to raise the positivity towards the government in the coming two years before the next polls.
The MLA have faced angry responses, in several instances, during their house-to-house visits, as regards the failures in relation to the welfare schemes, lack of area development and other issues. The legislators maintained their composure and promised early action. This more or less calms them down.
Senior political analysts say that sensing danger, TD chief Chandrababu Naidu immediately started the counter, in the form of the Baduday Badudu campaign. He plans to hold a Mahanadu conclave in Ongole on May 27 and 28 for party leaders and cadres from all over the state. Further, the TD plans to sound the poll bugle against the Jagan government from Mahanadu conclave.
To counter this, the YSRC started the Samajika Bheri Bus Yatra with 17 ministers belonging to the SC, ST, BC and minority communities.
The Samajika Bheri Bus Yatra public meetings will be held on May 26 in Srikakulam or Vijayanagaram, on May 27 in Rajahmundry, May 27 at Narasaraopet and on May 28 in Anantapur. But the ministers and YSRC leaders have already started meetings under which minister for social welfare Meruga Nagarjuna and others held preparatory meetings at Srikakulam on Sunday, for the Bus Yatra.
The TD also started preparatory meetings for the success of Mahanadu and Naidu will tour various districts under Baduday Badudu campaign till the start of Mahanadu. With all these, the political temperature in the state is set to warm up.
