Hyderabad, May 14: The late YSR’s widow Vijayamma and son YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday retained their Pulivendula Assembly and Kadapa Lok Sabha seats respectively in a record-breaking, landslide victory.
The result was never in doubt. But the “record-breaking” bit came as a shock to the Congress as despite its best efforts, Jagan romped home with a staggering 5.46 lakh majority while his mother bettered her late husband’s feat in Pulivendula with a winning margin of 85,191 votes.
The humiliation was complete for the Congress and the main Opposition, Telugu Desam, when their candidates in Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, Health Minister DL Ravindra Reddy (Cong) and Rajya Sabha member MV Mysoora Reddy (TDP) lost their deposits.
In Pulivendula, Vijayamma secured 1.10 lakh votes of the 1.57 lakh polled. Her nearest rival and brother-in-law YS Vivekananda Reddy just about managed to save his deposit __ a far cry from his statement a couple of days ago that his “victory is as certain as sun rise in the east tomorrow.”
TDP’s M Ravindranath Reddy, aka, BTech Ravi, lost his deposit.
A triumphant Jagan, in his first remarks after the results came out, declared: “This is the beginning of the process of change in the State. People want this government to go. Even I want to see this government dislodged as early as possible. But unfortunately, the main Opposition, the TDP, is hand in glove with the ruling party.”
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, in contrast, was crest-fallen. “We have won the World Cup. But before that, we lost even to Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. It is all in the game. One day you win..the other day you lose,” said Kiran, a one time cricketer, rather philosophically.
He maintained that there was no need to own responsibility for the Congress defeat. “Everyone worked hard. The atmosphere there was different since the elections were held after the death of YSR. The (YSR) family members had succeeded in securing the sympathy vote. The same situation will not be there by the time next elections are held,” he opined.
Though several factors worked in favour of Jagan, what actually helped him was the sympathy he was able to evoke in the run up to the byelections.
His constant refrain, as he visited every nook and corner of Kadapa, was: “I am a victim of the Delhi machinations. My mother, who had never stepped out of home, has to walk in hot sun and knock on every door for herself and her son”.
Jagan cut heavily into both the Congress and TDP votes, about 3 lakh of the former and two lakh of the latter.
The election, political observers say, is not just about Kadapa, it’s an election of a new leader and Jagan is certain to project himself as such. For the next one year at least, he will try to consolidate his gains.
Known as a young man in a hurry, he got cracking within hours of his election — he will be launching a two-day hunger strike in Guntur on the farmers’ issue on May 15 and it will be followed by the resumption of his Odarpu Yatra — ostensibly to console the kin of those who died of shock or committed suicide in the wake of YSR’s death — in Vizianagaram district.
The Congress, on its part, may not want to further escalate tensions in the immediate future.
It might either go slow or even abandon plans to disqualify MLAs loyal to the Kadapa leader. “It was only a strategy to deter the MLAs from campaigning in Kadapa. The Congress is not in a position to disqualify any of them. If it does, the party will have no MLA left on its side,” boasted a Jagan camper.
There is also a likelihood of the Congress ranks showing more interest in Jagan since they know it would be better if they switch loyalties sooner than later.
A senior Congress leader summed up the party’s position thus:
“The party will have to redraw its plans and keep its flock together. As Jagan becomes more aggressive, it might be difficult for the party to shield its men from coming under his spell.”
–Agencies