The newest entry to politics from the glitzy Indian movie world Mr Chrianjeevi fondly referred as “Mega Star” by Andhraites has proved his mettle in his maiden election. I would say he is not a spent force but rather a force to be reckoned in future elections in the state of Andhra Pradesh. While some feel that his party Praja Rajyam’s performance has not been to the expectation, they fail to recognize that Chiranjeevi can indeed be seen as the most impressive performer in Indian politics today. Praja Rajyan (Peoples Rule) launched just six months back in August 2008 has secured more than 16% of the states vote share.
Commenting on the election results Chiranjeevi said
“It was only a first step in the grand fight. ‘I appeal to party workers to take it as positive. Think the glass is half full and not half empty”
Mr. Chiranjeevi informed to reporters that his party will analyze the results and take corrective steps to strengthen the party.
Considering a six month old party having fought with 150 years old Congress party and the 26 years old Telugu Desam party, Chiranjeevi and his parties achievements were indeed impressive. As Chiranjeevi has been elected to the state assembly from the holy city of Tirupati constituency, his followers believe he will receive the divine sight of lord Balaji for much bigger success.
During the election Chiranjeevi vouched that his party would ensure social justice to the people of Andhra Pradesh and nominated more than 100 candidates from the states backward communities.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu recently accredited Chiranjeevi’s entry into politics as a factor for his party’s debacle in the recent election. Mr. Naidu also refused to accept the verdict as a positive vote for the Congress party saying it retained power by division of votes. He said:
“It was clear from the voting trend in assembly elections that people wanted TDP to come to power,”
While addressing the state-level convocation of his party Naidu reminded that though the Congress had come to power in the state again, its vote percentage was only 36.8. He further said:
“This is the first time in the history of Andhra Pradesh that a party has come to power with such a meagre share of votes,”
“In many constituencies, the TDP candidates lost the polls with a slender margin, mainly because of the presence of the PRP. Had there not been a split in the anti-establishment vote, we would have won comfortably,”
The opposition parties together polled 63.2 percent of votes and the difference in percentage of votes between the Congress and TDP Alliance was only 1.8 percent. Mr. Nadu declared that the TDP would carry on its fight on the platform of people’s issues and asked the party cadres to reinforce the party at the grassroots level.
Post poll scrutiny exhibit that TDP and PRP ruined each by vying for votes from the same segment of socially deprived and backward communities instead of focussing on the traditional congress vote bank also.
In the future, if TDP and PRP focus wisely and work towards the development of the state and the Telugus, they have an opportunity to push the Congress party out of the mainstream politics in the state of Andhra Pradesh much like how DMK and ADMK parties in the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu have reigned dominance over the Congress party. In my views, the outcome of the past elections in Andhra Pradesh is the beginning - to the end of Congress party in that state.
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