Andhra Pradesh Assembly Election Results 2019 : Jaganmohan Reddy Decimates Chandrababu Naidu, Starts Planning For Swearing-in Ceremony
Andhra Pradesh Assembly Election Results 2019 LIVE Updates: YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy is heading to a big victory in Andhra Pradesh over his arch rival and incumbent chief minister, Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu as his party has taken in 146 seats, while the TDP is ahead on 27 seats in the assembly based on initial trends. The polls were a direct contest between the TDP (Telugu Desam Party) and the YSRCP (YSR Congress Party), with the Congress and the BJP (Bharatiya) pushed to the sidelines. Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, which joined hands with Mayawati’s BSP and the Left parties, was hailed as the X-factor in the assembly election and may play 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 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.
The pollsters were also divided over the Lok Sabha election result in the state, with most predicting an even split. This was the first full-fledged Lok Sabha election in Andhra Pradesh as the 2014 polls were conducted before bifurcation and creation of Telangana. Confident of coming to power in the state this time, Jagan Reddy, along with his family, moved to his house at Tadepally on Wednesday with YSRCP leaders saying he would remain there to monitor results.
In the no-holds-barred campaigning, Jagan Reddy did everything in his command to pin down Naidu. From a record-breaking political walkathon of over 3,000 km to having a tacit understanding with the BJP, he left no stone unturned. He has also promised to support any national party that gives special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Given the critical caste dynamics and the role of money power in the outcomes of the election, the YSR Congress has reached out to the BCs, the traditional vote bank of the TDP, in addition to consolidating strengths in Rayalseema, minorities, SC/ST. The tacit understanding with the BJP and role of TRS are expected to add up too.
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. In 2014, Naidu in an alliance with the BJP scraped through with 106 of the 175 Assembly seats. In the 25 Lok Sabha seats, the TDP won 16 and BJP 2. The YSR Congress secured 68 seats and 7 MPs.
