Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy face a do-or-die battle against each other with the political careers of both leaders at stake in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state.
Counting of votes for the results of the election has started. The polls were a direct contest between the TDP (Telugu Desam Party) and the YSRCP (YSR Congress Party), with the Congress and the BJP (Bhartiya) pushed to the sidelines. Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, which joined hands with Mayawati’s BSP and the Left parties, is the X-factor in the assembly election and may play the spoiler on some seats.
Security at the houses of the three-time chief minister and Telugu Desam Party chief, and Reddy, son of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, have been beefed up for the counting of votes today over fears of a repeat of the violence that had hit the state during polling on April 11.
Elections for 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly constituencies were held simultaneously in the state. The political heat in the southern state has risen over the last couple of days as exit polls were divided over the outcome. While some have projected victory for YSRCP, others have predicted that the TDP will retain power.
But the veteran Naidu has also mounted a strong campaign after being written off due to strong anti-incumbency in the state due to failing to deliver a world-class capital city, providing jobs and making the state economically strong. He resorted to blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government at the Centre for the shortfalls and invoked “Andhra pride” to offset voters’ ire.
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