The ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are locked in a fierce battle for dominance in the Andhra Pradesh assembly polls.
The parties are showering poll promises in the high-octane campaign in the run-up to elections to the 175-member state Assembly today, May 13.
Elections to 175 assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats of Andhra Pradesh are being held simultaneously in the fourth phase of the general elections 2024 on Monday. In 2019, Jagan Reddy’s YSR Congress Party swept the assembly polls by bagging 151 seats. The party also won 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2019 general elections.
The YSRCP is banking on its welfare schemes and its poll guarantees 'Navaratnalu plus' while the TDP along with its ally partners BJP and Jana Sena are highlighting the failures of the state government and a promise to eradicate unemployment.
The ruling YSRCP is contesting on all 175 seats eyeing another term while as part of a seat-sharing arrangement among National Democratic Alliance partners, TDP is contesting on 144 assembly seats, Jana Sena on 21 and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 10 seats
Andhra Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendula), TDP supremo and former CM N Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam), Janasena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram) are the key candidates in the fray for the assembly polls in the state.
Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Your guide to Phase 4 voting today — From vote timings to weather forecast
The Andhra Pradesh CM has also vowed to develop Amaravati as the legislative capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital.
"Immediately after YSRCP forms the government in 2024, Visakhapatnam will be made the executive capital as the seat of the government. It will be developed as the growth engine for the state," Jagan Mohan Reddy said earlier in April this year. However, the TDP chief Naidu came down heavily on the Andhra Pradesh CM for his announcement to establish three separate capitals.
The 4 per cent Muslim reservation in the state has also become a poll issue. CM Jagan Mohan has promised to preserve the 4 per cent of Muslim reservations.
“On one hand, Chandrababu Naidu continues to join hands with the BJP which stands on removing the 4 per cent Muslim reservation, on the other hand, to seek minority votes, he comes up with new drama. Have you witnessed a chameleon-like Chandrababu Naidu? Come what may, 4 per cent of Muslim reservations will remain and that is YSR Congress Party's final word on it,” Jagan Mohan said.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have categorically stated that the BJP will not give reservations to Muslims based on religion, contradicting this stance, TDP chief Naidu has promised to preserve the 4 per cent reservation for the Muslims under the OBC category in the state.
Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised to gradually hike welfare pensions from ₹3,000 to ₹3,500 per month and govern the state from Visakhapatnam. The Telugu Desam Party, Janasena and BJP combine also promised to offer ₹3,000 monthly financial assistance to unemployed youth.
Catch all the live action on Elections and get exclusive coverage on Assembly Election Results 2024 with Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.