YSR Congress party president and leader of opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has grained tremendous credibility among the people after his marathon 14-month long padayatra covering over 3,600 kilometres across 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh.
However, many of his party MLAs and leaders have still not been able to gain the same kind of confidence from the people, as a result of which they are likely to face a tough time in the ensuing assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
This was revealed in some independent surveys being done in various constituencies in the state. In some of the constituencies, the sitting YSRC MLAs have not been enjoying the support of the people because they are hardly available to the people nor have they done any considerable development in their constituencies.
At the same time, they are also not keenly participating in the party programmes in their constituencies against the ruling Telugu Desam Party. Since the YSRC MLAs have stopped going to the assembly, they are not able to represent the constituencies’ issues in the House.
Interestingly, though the people are not very happy with many of the YSRC MLAs, they are surprisingly expressing desire that Jagan should become the next chief minister.
It clearly shows they have a positive vote for Jagan, but negative vote for the sitting MLAs.
It sends two contrasting messages: Jagan may have to change the candidates in such constituencies and field fresh faces. Or, people might vote even for the sitting MLAs based on Jagan’s credibility.
In the recent assembly elections in Telangana, several pre-poll surveys indicated that the people are not very happy with the sitting Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLAs because of their inaccessibility or non-performance.
Yet, they voted the TRS back to power with thumping majority because they wanted KCR to be back as the chief minister as he implemented several welfare schemes.
So, there is a chance that people of Andhra, too, might vote for the YSRC only because of Jagan’s leadership. But there is a difference.
In Telangana, KCR was in power, while Jagan is in opposition. So, he has to choose his candidates carefully without being complacent in his thinking that the people are looking for leadership.