Will NDA power Chandrababu Naidu into trumping Jagan’s ‘Navaratnalu’? Five things to watch out for in Andhra Pradesh

The YSRCP, which had stormed to power in the 2019 polls by winning 152 Assembly and 22 Lok Sabha seats, had its task cut out this time, with a resurgent TDP posing a formidable challenge to it. The YSRCP was also hit by large-scale defections due to the party leadership’s decision to replace many candidates or change their constituencies.

Here are five things to look out for in the Andhra Pradesh poll results.

Jagan’s welfare schemes

After storming to power, Jagan introduced nine welfare schemes – dubbed “Navaratnalu” (nine gems) – which provided financial assistance via direct benefit transfer (DBT) to various sections, especially women and farmers. The elections are being seen by some quarters as a “referendum” on these measures.

Pawan Kalyan factor

The election results will also throw light on whether the JanaSena Party (JSP) leader Pawan Kalyan – who was said to have played a key role in ensuring the TDP’s return to the BJP-led NDA – has managed to bridge the Kamma-Kapu divide. While Naidu belongs to the Kamma community, Kalyan is a Kapu face. With Kammas and Kapus having been at loggerheads traditionally, the poll outcome would determine whether the two communities have buried their differences in light of the Naidu-Kalyan tie-up.

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union Minister and Telangana state BJP President G Kishan Reddy, Janasena Party President Pawan Kalyan and others during BJP’s ‘BC Atma Gourava Sabha’, in Hyderabad, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. (PTI Photo)

TDP future

In the run-up to the elections, an emotional Naidu appealed to the electorate to vote for the TDP, claiming it would be his “last election”. The poll results would play a significant role in shaping the future of his party. With his son and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh not seen yet to be as influential as Naidu, many believe that an electoral setback may deal a blow to the TDP’s future prospects.

Salience of national parties

Since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, national parties have had barely any role in state politics. This time, the Congress contested the polls under the leadership of Y S Sharmila, sister of CM Jagan, hoping to regain some ground in the state.

On the other hand, the BJP is banking on its NDA allies to reverse its electoral fortunes of the last polls and make inroads in Andhra Pradesh.

NDA numbers

The state’s 25 Lok Sabha seats would have a crucial bearing on the NDA’s “400 paar” target. The BJP’s individual performance would determine the party’s presence in the state besides reflecting its expansion in the South.