AP to see multi-corner contests

• The ruling YSRCP is in fray without any alliance
• The main Opposition TDP, has aligned with Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party and BJP
• CPI and CPI (M) have tied up with the Congress in AP

Visakhapatnam: Battlelines are being drawn with the Election Commission of India announcing single phase elections in Andhra Pradesh for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha elections on May 13.

All the major political parties and groups have high stakes in the electoral battle which is poised to see multi-corner contests in all the segments. The ruling YSRCP is in fray without any alliance with a call to its cadres to ensure victory in all the segments under the plank of continuation of welfare agenda and trifurcation of the capital to ensure, what it claims decentralised development.

An estimated 4.09 crore voters will exercise their franchise in the May 13 elections. The results will be announced on June 4 after completion of the entire election process in the country.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's bid for retaining power is being challenged by the main Opposition TDP, which has aligned with Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party and BJP, which is leading the NDA coalition at the Centre. On the other hand, with Reddy's estranged sister YS Sharmila, after merging her Telangana based party with the Indian National Congress, is in the driver's seat of AP Congress Committee with an attempt to revive the lost ground. Congress candidates bite the dust in all the constituencies in two successive elections in 2014 and 2019 following its controversial decision to carve out Telangana. The CPI and CPI (M), who also drew a blank in elections, have tied up with the Congress.

TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu, who is seen in an aggressive mood after Tollywood star Pawan Kalyan joined hands with him with the announcement for 'YSRCP-vimukt' Andhra Pradesh when the former was in Central Jail at Rajahmundry following his attest by CID in the skill development fund diversion scam. Though a late entrant, BJP top leadership announced its decision to allow TDP for re-entry into NDA after BJP strongman and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced that their doors for the yellow brigade are closed permanently. This is the third time entry of TDP into the NDA coalition after Naidu's decision to become a constituent of the alliance in 1999 when BJP stalwart Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister.

Naidu had snapped ties with NDA in 2018 over denial of special status to Andhra Pradesh by the NDA. Now, he says, to safeguard the interest of the State, he had to change his mind and join the alliance under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is known like his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik for being friendly with the NDA government, has now preferred to attack the tripartite alliance in Andhra Pradesh as opportunistic and criticise the Centre for failing to keep its promises made at the time of bifurcation.

However, Pawan Kalyan, who was part of NDA and contested elections in Telangana jointly with the BJP, has been repeatedly expressing his confidence in the leadership of Modi. Even after aligning with TDP, he has been exuding confidence that BJP would join them in their bid to dislodge the 'corrupt and feudal' YSRCP government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy. The election atmosphere in Andhra Pradesh is warming up as all the main parties have been announcing their list of candidates. YSRCP has named candidates for 24 Lok Sabha seats and the Anakapalle nominee will be made public shortly. TDP, the major constituent of the tripartite alliance has given six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats to BJP leaving JSP to contest from two Lok Sabha and 20 Assembly seats. TDP will be in fray in 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies.