A Big Setback For YSRCP In Key Constituencies

In the 2019 assembly elections, Mangalagiri, Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram are three constituencies that were the cynosure of all political analysts and the people of Telugu States because the then Minister Nara Lokesh, who was also tipped to take the mantle from Chandra Babu Naidu and lead the TDP in future, and Pawan Kalyan, the supremo of Janasena party, contested in these places and lost cheaply to the YSRCP.

While Lokesh was denied victory by Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, Pawan Kalyan lost in both Bhimavaram and Gajuwaka to Grandhi Srinivas and Tippala Nagireddy respectively. It is a known fact that Jagan Mohan Reddy and his party put in all possible efforts to defeat both Pawan and Lokesh in these places to demoralize their political careers at any cost. And, they have succeeded in doing so.

Now, five years later, the scenario is not the same in these three constituencies for the ruling YSRCP. In a significant blow to the party, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy resigned not just to the assembly seat but also to the party. Many local leaders of Mangalagiri also followed suit immediately after his resignation.

Making things worse by evening, Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Nagireddy’s son Tippala Devan Reddy, who was the in-charge of the constituency, resigned from the party after coming to know that he wouldn’t be given a ticket in the next elections.

The sudden resignations of key leaders in both these constituencies will be a big setback for the YSRCP because the 2024 elections are just four months away. Though the party high command quickly nominated other leaders as incharges for both these places along with a few other constituencies, it is going to be very difficult for the YSRCP to retain them in the upcoming elections.

Meanwhile, the situation in Bhimavaram is also not so encouraging for the YSRCP as the sitting MLA is facing a lot of antipathy from the voters there due to many reasons besides massive anti-incumbency. The party cadre feels that Grandhi Srinivas would face a huge defeat if Pawan Kalyan contests from this place again in the next elections. Pawan stood in second place in the 2019 elections in Bhimavaram.

As there is an alliance between the TDP and the JSP in 2024 elections, political experts feel that it would be a canter for both Nara Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan in these constituencies if they contest again from the same places.