YS Jagan Wave Sweeps Godavari Districts

K Jayadev

When the Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh assembly and YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy set out on his ambitious and popular Praja Sankalpa Yatra, it was planned as a walkathon to connect with the people and also to highlight the misrule of the present TDP government. But over a period of time Praja Sankalpa Yatra became a movement by itself and by the time it completed its journey across the two Godavari districts in the state, YS Jagan’s conquest of the hearts of the people of the region and the state, was complete.

East and West Godavari districts were TDP bastions in the last elections. Out of the 34 assembly constituencies in these two districts, YSRCP was able to get only four seats. Moreover, the party did not open its account in West Godavari. This time around, both the districts gave a rousing welcome to his Padayatra and people look at him as a a true heir of Rajanna (former Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy). In fact all the public meetings saw massive crowds all across - from Bhimavaram to Tuni, unprecedented turnout of people was more than an eye-opener for everyone. And the response turned into a shocker for TDP.

Despite many gimmicks to disturb the padayatra by ruling TDP government, YS Jagan continued without looking back. Today, the YSRCP cadre, not just in Godavari districts, but all over the state are an enthused lot. Thanks to the response they received in toughest of the districts, the workers suddenly seem to have gained a confidence which will help them to take on the scheming TDP at all levels.

It is a general sentiment among the political parties and people in AP that whoever wins East and West Godavari districts will capture power in the state. So, this time around after YS Jagan with his padayatra and his direct empathy with people has been able to win over these two districts. The YSRCP Chief brought in a new level of confidence among the party leaders. Interestingly, it is learnt that YS Jagan has also identified the most winnable leaders to contest on YSRCP tickets for the 2019 elections.

In Godavari districts caste is a key factor. If you look back at the speeches of YS Jagan in these districts it was clear he was mostly trying to highlight the local issues like pollution and non-fulfillment of promises for the development of the districts. He also stressed on the fact that Chandrababu government was corrupt to the core. He raised issues of failure to deliver services to the people by the government, not having giving loan waiver, cheating the people, etc.

YS Jagan steered clear of caste politics for the most part and promised welfare governance covering all segments of society. He promised a development fund of Rs 10,000 crore per year for five years, after his party comes to power and this announcement went down well with the Kapu community and turned out to be a catalyst when it came to the fortunes of YSRCP.

Powerful speeches helped YS Jagan make his padayatra a huge success in Godavari districts. Despite Jana Sena trying to make a dent in the political scene, Pawan Kalyan has not made much of a headway so far. According to political critics, YSRCP is likely to prove its mettle in 2019 in the twin Godavari districts, while the TDP is fast losing ground.

Also Read: Chandrababu Are You Ready For CBI Probe: YS Jagan