The acute heatwave conditions prevailing across Andhra Pradesh with soaring temperatures have dampened the campaign of the candidates of various political parties contesting the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state.
Many areas in the state have witnessed the mercury levels going up beyond 45 degrees Celsius, making it tough for the candidates to conduct door-to-door campaigns and also address public meetings during the day.
And as the electioneering peaks, the temperatures are also likely to shoot up sharply and one wonders whether there would be any voters’ turnout at the booths on May 13, when the polling is held, as the summer will be at its peak on that day.
But the candidates have no other choice, as it is a do-or-die battle for the Telugu Desam Party and its allies and a battle of prestige for the YSR Congress party which wants to come to power again and seal the fate of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu.
Of course, high mercury levels is not a new phenomenon in Andhra Pradesh as the people are used to brave the scorching summer. But since it is the election time, the candidates will have to tour extensively.
A report published in a national daily says the candidates are mostly confined to campaign during the morning hours and after taking a break, they are resuming in the evening. The most challenging time is 11am to 4pm.
TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, who is 74 years old, is going all out to conduct the election campaign despite soaring temperatures as it is question of survival for him and his party. He is addressing at least three to four public meetings in a day – one in the morning and the other meetings in the evening.
YSRCP president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has been going from place to place in his airconditioned bus, but he is stopping at every important point, getting down from the bus and interacting with the people. Most of his rallies are in the evening.
Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, who kickstarted his electioneering from Pithapuram in East Godavari district last week, fell sick within one day due to extreme heatwave conditions. He returned to Hyderabad to take rest for a couple of days before returning to campaign on Sunday.