Jagan, Naidu in Close Race Through Election Campaigns

Vijayawada: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Leader of Opposition Nara Chandrababu Naidu competed with each other in addressing maximum numbers of election meetings across Andhra Pradesh in recent weeks.

Each of them addressed over 100 meetings while Jana Sena president K Pawan Kalyan addressed nearly 50 meetings and rallies.

This time, Jagan Reddy as YSRC chief, started his party’s campaign in advance and was seen to be ahead of Naidu and the other opposition leaders in addressing meetings. He decided on the names of a majority of YSRC candidates six months before the elections.

Chandrababu Naidu, sensing that he was lagging behind, hurried to start various types of campaigns. He was far behind Jagan Reddy in deciding on the names of his candidates. He was handicapped in poll-related advance planning due to his arrest and jailing in connection with the Skills scam.

Jagan Reddy started the first election campaign under the Siddham label, post-Sankranti. He made special efforts to train the cadre for the final battle. A series of mega meetings were organised under the Siddham (We’re Ready) banner.

In a span of 40 days, four massive regional meetings were held by the CM, with their attendance ranging from 5 lakh to 15 lakh. Through these meetings, the strategy to win each booth was laid down for the YSRC cadre.

The first Siddham meeting was held at Bheemili, the second at Eluru, the third in Anantapur and the fourth in Bapatla.

Taking one more step forward, Jagan Reddy launched the Memantha Siddham, a 22-day yatra on a bus. The campaign started from Idupulapaya in Kadapa district on March 27 and ended in Tekkali in Srikakulam district on April 24.

In this yatra, the CM spent one day in each district by addressing district-level meetings in the evening, where the YSRC cadre from a set of 7 or 8 assembly constituencies within each parliamentary constituency assembled.

Jagan Reddy conducted closed-door party meetings with district-level leaders, visited villages and focused attention on interactions with crowds. He also held mammoth road shows and roadside night camps with important wrap-up meetings. He conducted the final leg of his election campaign for 22 days, covering 23 districts and 86 assembly constituencies, by travelling 2100 km.

Amplifying his campaign momentum following the unveiling of the YSRC’s 2024 Manifesto – the Navaratnalu Plus – the chief minister boosted his efforts to woo the people by conducting three public meetings every day. Commencing April 28 in Tadipatri, Anantapur district, this intensive campaign continued for 11 days, with Jagan Reddy addressing 33 public meetings. This campaign concluded on Saturday, May 11, at Pithapuram in Kakinada district.

Chandrababu Naidu conducted Prajagalam public meetings and road shows in 89 constituencies. From Jan 5 this year, he addressed large gatherings in 25 LS constituencies under the label, Ra Kadali Ra, under which 114 constituencies were covered in four months, through Ra.Kadalira and Prajagalam Sabhas.

Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, the third prominent leader, campaigned across the state and spoke at 47 meetings. In addition to campaigning in 21 seats allotted by the alliance to the Jana Sena, he campaigned in support of the candidates of Telugu Desam and BJP. He participated in two public meetings along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PK too drew large crowds, a mix of his party supporters and celluloid fans.