Jagan Mohan Reddy leads by an impossibly huge margin. Chandrababu Naidu, the incumbent chief minister, is set to resign this evening, and will visit the Governor’s office with his resignation letter. Pawan Kalyan, the power star, is MIA.
Jagan All the Way
Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of the late Congress party leader YS Rajasekhara Reddy, has led the race in Andhra Pradesh's Assembly and by-elections right from the word 'sye'! Which is a phrase in Telugu that signifies 'battle ready'. Like 'halla bol'.
It's been Jagan all the way. Right from the exit polls, up until the D-Day, where it all boils down to the irrevocable, and final numbers. Jagan has come up tops despite having the entire media machinery against him and supporting incumbent CM Chandrababu Naidu; despite being a relative newbie to politics, as compared to Naidu, who's a past-master in the game who ousted his own mentor and rockstar NT Ramarao when taking over the Telugu Desam Party.
In fact, let's go further back, to his record-breaking padyatra, where he walked for over 3,000 kilometres across Andhra Pradesh, beating his opponent Chandrababu Naidu, and his father YSR by a few hundred kilometres. It was this humongous feat that brought him closer to the masses. This, and his wooing of the more populous BC group, who are spread across the state, and form 37% of the population. Throughout his record-breaking 3,600 km padyatra, he has been wooing the BCs, and had also nominated a BC candidate in Rajahmundry; another historic first for any party in that region.
Why Didn’t the Congress Woo Him?
So why didn't the Congress party woo him after his father died in 2009? Two reasons. One, YSR Sr himself was a bit of a loner and functioned almost independent of central command. Most of his populist schemes, including the free medicine scheme, were his ideas that percolated to the top after he announced them. The apple, therefore, fell quite close to the tree in this sense.
Second, and more pertinent, was Jagan Mohan's own political ambition. Why opt for a party, which became a shadow of his father's former self, when he could wear his father's mantle, and fill his shoes? Six months after his father died, Jagan Mohan started off a 'Condolence Padyatra', to console the families of 220 people who allegedly committed suicide, unable to bear the grief of his father's death.
In March 2011, he started the YSR Congress Party, and won the resultant Assembly elections like it was a breeze!
That he emerged as Chandrababu Naidu's strongest opponent, and has now surpassed him, is history.
Where’s Power Star Pawan Kalyan?
Oh, but wasn't this supposed to be a three-way fight, with Pawan Kalyan playing the dark horse, who controlled the 15% Kapu votes? In 2014, Pawan Kalyan didn't contest, but campaigned for the TDP.
This time though, he stood as an independent candidate, who sought to split the votes. Sadly, the 'power star' has been given a 'bit role' in this election, that few will remember. I'm not sure of his political career anymore. But I do hope his next film fares better than his current poll performance!
Meanwhile, I only have one question for Jagan Mohan Reddy: Where's the party?
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