Mass Outreach Programmes As Advantage To Jagan For 2024 Election Battle
VIJAYAWADA: The ruling YSR Congress led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy feels it is in an electorally advantageous position because of its welfare, development and multiple mass outreach campaigns in the run-up to the 2024 polls.
The pre-election scenario has already warmed up in AP. Campaign for the assembly polls, as also parliament elections, began a year before the expected dates by the opposition Telugu Desam, BJP, Jana Sena and Communists in AP. The ruling YSRC started such an initiative much earlier.
To his credit, chief minister Jagan Reddy fixed the long-pending issues like Pension Scheme and pay revision (PRC) for government employees to gather their support. He also sent his party’s MLAs on visits to their constituencies for the past one year, so as to ensure they are in constant touch with the people.
While the elections are 10 months away, the Telugu Desam has unveiled a part of its 2024 election manifesto, by including a host of welfare schemes on the same lines as the YSRC did in the last polls. Along with TD chief Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan has also started announcing his election-related offers to the people during his Varahi Yatra.
The BJP is holding public meetings by explaining the successes, welfare schemes and development initiatives of Narendra Modi’s governance since 2014.
The Communists are seeking to impress the people by organising agitaitons against the power tariffs and other public issues.
YSRC leaders claim that Jagan Reddy got a big advantage against other political parties as he started the party’s Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam mass outreach programme on 11 May 2022, two years before the next assembly elections. The party is still continuing this. Every YSRC legislator is visiting houses in his or her constituency, to meet the people and explain the state government’s welfare and developmental initiatives.
As for the Telugu Desam, Chandrababu Naidu conducted tours of districts and announced a mini-manifesto in Rajahmundry during Mahanadu conclave on May 28, by way of the TD’s first significant step forward for the 2024 polls.
Analysts say that usually an MLA visits his constituency to address events or meetings in towns. They rarely visited the homes of the voters during their five-year term. “Jagan changed this scenario altogether and put an end to the feudalistic style of political functioning. He sent ruling party MLAs door to door to explain to the people what their government had done for them even at individual levels by way of welfare pensions, house allotments etc.
Jagan Reddy conducted another mass outreach programme, Maa Nammakam Nuvve Jagan, which also was a big hit with the visit of every house by party and people’s representatives.
He recently started the Jaganannaku Chebudam and is now launching another mass outreach Jagananna Suraksha programme. YSRC leaders hope these would all help the YSRC return to power in the next assembly polls.
Jagan Reddy has planned to start a mega outreach “Why AP Needs Jagan” to explain that the CM has been trying to transform AP into a developed state. People are approached by party leaders and MLAs with documents citing the details of investment flow, development activities, infra projects and welfare schemes etc.
Analysts point out that Chandrababu Naidu is now keen on copying Jagan Reddy. Naidu, who strongly opposed the welfare programmes of Jagan in the past four years, took a U-turn and began giving top priority to welfare schemes when he released TD’s mini-manifesto. Analysts also feel that Naidu, unlike Jagan, did not have a track record of fulfilling his election promises. People might not believe in his words.
Adviser to government (public affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna said no one will believe Naidu’s promises. He said YSRC was already prepared to face, on its own, any alliance of the opposition in the 2024 elections.
