As TDP, BJP strike alliance, Jagan plans YSRCP show of strength

The Andhra Pradesh CM is hoping to send a message to the Opposition ahead of an electoral contest that he is framing as a battle between beneficiaries of his government’s schemes and “capitalists” in the TDP-JSP combine

The YSRCP is hoping to bolster Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy’s call for “Why not 175?” – the target to win all 175 Assembly seats in the state. (Photo: YSRCP/ X)

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is all set to conduct its fourth ‘Siddham (ready for polls)’ cadre meeting on Sunday in the Bapatla district’s Addanki. The massive show of strength by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is set to be attended by lakhs of party workers from across the state a day after sealing of the alliance between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), JanaSena Party (JSP) and BJP for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections for Andhra Pradesh.

YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy said the party is making arrangements for at least 10 lakh attendees. With this meeting, the YSRCP plans to make a big political statement in the state’s central zone after having held similar meetings in Visakhapatnam, Denduluru in the Eluru district, and Rapthadu in the Anantapur district. “The Addanki meeting is expected to be bigger than all the three previous Siddham meetings,” Reddy said.

In particular, the YSRCP is hoping to bolster Jagan’s call for “Why not 175?” – the target to win all 175 Assembly seats in the state. “We are all working together to make the Siddham meeting in Bapatla a huge success. We are expecting as many as 15 lakh party supporters to be present at the event to make it one of the largest political meetings that has happened in the state,” Reddy said. All the arrangements, from venue setup and transport to refreshments and sanitation, have already been completed.

Story continues below this ad

Also in Political Pulse | Newsmaker | Another YSRCP MP quits, fires ‘Mahmud of Ghazni’ barb at Jagan Mohan Reddy in parting shot

The YSRCP leadership further stated that the cadre was fully “siddham (ready)” to back Jagan in the upcoming “yuddham (battle)”, which the party is framing as “one versus all”.

In 2019, the YSRCP had nearly swept both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. It had won 151 of the 175 Assembly seats and 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats. Its primary rival TDP had won 23 Assembly and 3 Lok Sabha seats.

This time, Jagan is pitching the election as a direct contest against the TDP-JSP combine.

Jagan has also said this election would not be a caste war but a class war, with the beneficiaries of his government’s schemes on one side and the TDP-JSP supporters, whom he refers to as “capitalists”, on the other side.

Story continues below this ad

In speeches at recent public meetings, Jagan has claimed the TDP would not follow through on its poll promises. “Our manifesto is our Bible. But for the TDP, their manifesto goes to the dustbin because they don’t care about the poor. Everyone should know that if they don’t vote for YSRCP, all the welfare will stop. It is all about trust. If Jagan says he will do, he will do it. Jagan makes promises only after thinking, not like Naidu,” he said.

us india trade talks, us india trade negotiations, us india tariffs, us india trade relations, trump modi trade talks, india us commerce ministry, us tariffs on india, india exporters relief package, us india economic relations, india us trade barriers, us india trade deal, india us trade meeting, rajesh agarwal commerce ministry, india us trade dispute, india us bilateral trade

Trade talks ‘positive’, govt says will intensify efforts to close US deal early

Business7 hr ago

India and the US have resumed trade negotiations after the US imposed tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. The sixth round of talks will focus on recognising India's red lines and possibly increasing energy purchases from the US. Other topics include easing patent rules, data flows, and giving US firms procurement access.

View all shorts

Live Blog