MLC election results: A lesson to both the sides

The political parties in Andhra Pradesh are preparing ground for 2019 Assembly elections. And the recent MLC election results have left some useful lessons to both to ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Opposition YSR Congress. But do the leaders of the two sides Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jaganmohan Reddy respectively ready to take any lessons, is the big question before anybody who sincerely wish to analyze the future course of electoral politics in the State.

   Coming back to recent MLC election results, the ruling TDP managed to win three local body MLC seats of Nellore, Kadapa and Kurnool where it could not even imagine to field its candidates as the Opposition YSRCP enjoy clear majority in the Electoral College consisting of ZPTC, MPTC and other local body members. Still the ruling party managed to win all the three seats including Kadapa, the strong hold of YSRCP by buying votes. And even after it became an open secret, Chandrababu Naidu and his team celebrated the victory in a ‘big way’ and claimed it as peoples mandate in his favour. But the joy proved a short lived one as the party faced debacle in four of the five graduates and teachers’ constituencies MLC seats and the remaining one gone to its ally the BJP. The ruling party had spent huge money to win graduates and teachers constituencies too as in the local body seats, but in vain. If the party is ready to accept, it is clear indication of growing anti-incumbency.    But the anti – incumbency vote has not shifted to main Opposition party except in Rayalaseema West Teachers MLC seat, with the support of left parties. In the remaining three seats, PDF candidates supported by both YSRCP and left parties. So in the given situation the YSRCP and Jaganmohan Reddy should give up hegemonic attitude and take other opposition parties particularly the left in to confidence and take initiative to form a front to fight against BJP- TDP combine.    Finally, it is worth noting that the YSRCP is not gaining the space as fast as the TDP losing the ground and to fill the gap the YSRCP should follow ‘the enemies enemy is a friend’ policy to fight against Chandrababu Naidu, the most experienced ,manipulator.