Vijayawada: ‘Vision v/s Poison’

Vijayawada : The ongoing Memu Siddham by YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Prajagalam by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu are just teasers. The state is bracing for a mega political war in April when electioneering will be at its peak notwithstanding the extreme summer heat when all parties, the YSRCP, TDP, Jana Sena and BJP would hit the road. YSRCP is going it alone while Congress will have alliance with the left parties.

There would also be some meetings where the NDA alliance will hold joint meetings which would be addressed by national leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah among others.

While TDP puts it as a fight between “Vision and Poison", referring to Jagan’s style of governance, Jagan says he would defeat the opposition alliance like Arjuna did in Mahabharata. The accusations counter accusations would further be sharpened between the two sides.

In the meantime, the YSRCP has suffered a setback on Saturday as the Election Commission of India which had earlier ordered that they should not participate in campaign in any form has ordered that the mobile phones of these volunteers be seized till polls were over. They have been told to keep off from distributing pension money and other benefits.

The political parties, which have almost completed the announcement of names of candidates, are set to release the manifesto.

The TDP, which lost power in 2019, is desperately trying to be back in power. The BJP is focusing more on Lok Sabha seats and may win a couple of Assembly seats since it is in alliance with TDP and Jana Sena like in 2014.

This time Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan is determined to enter the Assembly. What role he would play as alliance partner needs to be seen. Speculations are that he would be the Deputy Chief Minister while Nadendla Manohar would get an important portfolio in the Council of Ministers.

The ruling YSRCP is mainly banking on the welfare schemes and works like Nadu Nedu, distribution of pensions, fee reimbursement to students, Amma vodi and other welfare programmes. The TDP’s main campaign line is straight, breaking the wings of the fan.

Both JSP and BJP are asking the people to dethrone the YSRCP to put the state back on fast track development.

The Congress party is mainly focusing on the Special Category Status and Central government assistance to AP after Congress comes to power in at the Centre.