Jamili elections are currently a hot topic of discussion across India. The concept of “One Nation, One Election” is being debated widely. This bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha during the sessions on December 17th, 2024. The bill proposes conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. While opposition parties like Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, and others have opposed it, regional parties, especially in Andhra Pradesh, have shown support. Both TDP, an NDA ally, and YCP have backed the bill, further fueling the debate around it.
Andhra Pradesh Perspective:
Well, to understand what could happen, we have to look at the party-wise perspectives. It’s all an assumption, as we can’t know for sure how the parties are actually feeling, but let’s dive into their potential views.
In Andhra Pradesh, there are several parties TDP, YCP, JSP, BJP, and Congress. However, the main battle is expected to be between TDP+JSP and YCP. Let’s focus on the three major parties: TDP, YCP, and JSP, and explore what their views might be if elections are conducted earlier than expected.
TDP Party
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by the senior leader and current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, has had a mixed recent history. After the disappointing defeat in 2019, Chandrababu made a strong comeback, securing a landslide victory in 2024 with the support of ally parties JSP and BJP. Together, their alliance, known as “Kutami,” managed to secure 164 out of 175 Assembly seats.
Currently, TDP is focused on building the leadership of Nara Lokesh, who is playing a crucial role in the government and is being groomed as the future leader of the party. Lokesh has been very active in various aspects of governance and is seen as a key player in the party’s strategy.Chandrababu Naidu is also working hard to turn his vision of Amaravati into a reality. He is making consistent efforts to attract IT companies to Andhra Pradesh and boost the state’s economy.
Despite Chandrababu Naidu’s statement that elections will take place in 2029, not 2027, TDP remains confident about their prospects if elections occur earlier. They believe YCP is weaker than ever, especially with the lingering anger among the public over the YCP party’s governance from 2019 to 2024. With the support of JSP and BJP, TDP feels strong and optimistic about repeating the success of 2024, believing that the electorate will once again favor their leadership.
YCP Party
The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YCP), led by the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had a dramatic turn of events. After a landslide victory in 2019, where YCP secured 151 out of 175 assembly seats, the party faced a humiliating defeat in the 2024 elections, winning only 11 seats. This result shocked many, as the party had been in a dominant position just a few years earlier. Despite this, the party secured 40% of the vote share, which was a small relief for YCP in an otherwise disastrous election.
YS Jagan, however, quickly recovered from the blow. Within two months after the 2024 election results, he was active on the ground, engaging with people and strengthening the party. Recognizing the potential of the jamili elections, which might be held earlier than expected, Jagan called on his cadre and leaders to stay active and start rebuilding the party.
Jagan Mohan Reddy seems confident about his party’s chances if the Jamili elections are held in 2027. YCP believes that the TDP-led “Kutami” alliance has failed to live up to the promises made during the 2024 elections, including their manifesto commitments. The recent floods in Vijayawada, which TDP struggled to manage, have also given YCP more ammunition to criticize the ruling party. The YCP sees the Jamili elections as an opportunity to regain power, as they feel that the people are dissatisfied with the current government’s performance and are looking for a change.
JSP Party
The Jana Sena Party (JSP), led by actor-turned-politician and the current Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, takes a unique approach to politics. Founded in 2014, JSP initially did not contest elections but supported the TDP-BJP alliance. In 2019, the party entered elections for the first time, forming an alliance with the Communist parties and BSP, only to face a disastrous defeat, winning just one seat out of 175. Pawan Kalyan himself lost in the two constituencies he contested, which was a major setback for the party.
However, after this debacle, Pawan Kalyan made a strong comeback in 2024, aligning again with TDP and BJP. JSP contested 24 seats in the assembly elections and won all of them, securing a perfect 100% strike rate. This victory helped JSP recover from the 2019 disaster and marked a new chapter for the party.
Now, as the Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan is more active than ever, portraying himself as the savior of Sanatan Dharma, which has garnered the support of BJP’s n”tional cadre. His growing influence has led to BJP utilizing his charisma not only in Andhra Pradesh but also in other states like Maharashtra, where Pawan Kalyan campaigned and BJP achieved impressive results. As a result, Pawan Kalyan has become a star campaigner for the BJP.
Pawan Kalyan seems content with the progress of JSP and has recently stated that he is willing to work under Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership for at least another 10 years. This statement clearly indicates that JSP will continue its alliance with TDP. If Jamili elections are held, JSP believes that the TDP-JSP “Kutami” will repeat the success of 2024, as they feel the people are pleased with the leadership duo of Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan. JSP does not think YCP will manage to secure even double-digit seats in the event of early elections.
Conclusion:
In Andhra Pradesh, the major political parties TDP, YCP, and JSP seem confident about their chances, even if the Jamili elections are held earlier than expected. Each party believes they have a strong position, with TDP banking on the success of their alliance with JSP and BJP, YCP hoping to capitalize on TDP’s failures, and JSP relying on the growing influence of Pawan Kalyan. Despite the uncertainty of early elections, these parties are not overly worried and are preparing for the challenges ahead with optimism.
