Tulasi Das
ELECTIONS to the Lok Sabha and the Andhra Pradesh Assembly were held on May 13, in the fourth phase. A record-breaking voter turnout of 81.86 per cent was recorded, with polling continuing until 2:00 am on May 14 at some locations. This surpassed the 2019 election turnout of 79.84 per cent. The chief electoral officer stated that this was the highest percentage of votes cast in any state during this election. Voters travelled from distant places to their native areas and voted enthusiastically. People flocked to the polling stations from 6:00 am on the election day in many places. The high voter turnout was interpreted by both the NDA and YSRCP camps as being in their favour.
Money and liquor were distributed extensively during the week prior to the election. Reports indicate that the amounts distributed were the highest ever in any election. Many young voters might have started drinking liquor for the first time during this election. Such practices by the ruling classes have a detrimental impact on societal culture.
The BJP has been betraying the people of Andhra Pradesh for the last decade since the bifurcation of the combined state. Despite promising Special Category Status to the state in the 2014 elections, the BJP central government has failed to deliver. The promises made on the floor of the parliament during the passage of the State Reorganisation Bill have not been fulfilled. Central educational and medical institutions promised in the Reorganisation Act remain incomplete, with many lacking even a building.
The central government has also ignored the displaced people of the Polavaram national project, leaving them stranded in the Godavari River during floods. While payments were made to contractors for dam construction, the displaced people were denied rehabilitation and resettlement benefits.
Adding to these failures, the Modi government has decided to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. This plant was established following a heroic struggle by the people of united Andhra Pradesh in the 1960s, during which 32 young people sacrificed their lives. The then Government of India bowed to public pressure and set up the plant. Today, the workers of the Steel Plant and the people of Andhra Pradesh are fighting against its privatisation, and the government has not dared to take further steps.
Despite all the betrayals by the BJP towards the state of Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) forged an alliance with it and became partners in the NDA. The ruling YSRCP has been submissive to the BJP throughout the last decade. These parties supported the BJP in the elections for president and vice president and endorsed almost all the bills, including the CAA. The people of Andhra Pradesh are very angry with the BJP, but the three regional parties are hand in glove with the saffron party. There is the NDA camp on one side and the YSRCP on the other.
The CPI(M) decided to oppose both camps and negotiated with the CPI, leading to an agreement to avoid mutual contests and identify constituencies to contest unitedly. Later, the two parties held separate talks with the Congress party. They came to an understanding that both Communist parties would contest one parliamentary and eight assembly seats each, supporting the Congress in the remaining seats. As part of this agreement, the CPI(M) contested the Araku (ST) parliamentary seat and the Kurupam (ST), Gajuwaka, Rampachodavaram (ST), Gannavaram, Vijayawada Central, Mangalagiri, Nellore City, and Panyam assembly seats. They called on the people to defeat the BJP, its allies TDP and Jana Sena, and the authoritarian YSRCP. As a result, in Andhra Pradesh, the election scenario developed into a contest among the NDA alliance, YSRCP, and the INDIA bloc.
The people of Andhra Pradesh are very angry with the BJP, and the anti-BJP space needs to be utilised by the Left and democratic sections. Therefore, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) mobilised other secular forces in this direction, conducting large public meetings and rallies addressed by Party leaders such as general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat, B V Raghavulu, and M A Baby. V Srinivas Rao, P Madhu, and other state secretariat members toured extensively, explaining to the people the harm done to the state by the BJP central government.
The CPI(M) highlighted the YSRCP state government's subservience to the BJP at the centre, particularly in implementing electricity, education, and urban reforms, which burdened the people with increased property tax, garbage charges, and electricity rates. The CPI(M) also exposed the roles of the TDP and Jana Sena in aligning with the BJP, which has attempted to incite communal tension even in Andhra Pradesh.
The CPI conducted some independent meetings as well as joint gatherings. CPI(M), CPI and the Congress together held large meetings, including one in Vijayawada on May 10, the last day of the campaign, which was addressed by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and CPI general secretary D Raja. They exposed Modi's misrule and the disastrous impact of BJP policies. Prajashakti Book House published several booklets, notably "Nayavanchana," which details the ten misdeeds of the Modi central government.
In this campaign, the Constitution Protection Forum significantly contributed to propagating against BJP’s misrule and the harm caused by the Modi government to the state. Former minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, intellectual K Vijaya Rao, Special Category Status Movement leader, Chalasani Srinivas and others toured the state, addressing hall meetings and roadshows. They focused on constituencies contested by the BJP.
Through these efforts, the anti-BJP campaign gained momentum in the state. Despite the bipolar situation between the NDA and YSRCP, the INDIA bloc managed to make inroads and challenge the dominant parties.
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BJP Gets Exposed in Andhra Pradesh
Tulasi Das
ELECTIONS to the Lok Sabha and the Andhra Pradesh Assembly were held on May 13, in the fourth phase. A record-breaking voter turnout of 81.86 per cent was recorded, with polling continuing until 2:00 am on May 14 at some locations. This surpassed the 2019 election turnout of 79.84 per cent. The chief electoral officer stated that this was the highest percentage of votes cast in any state during this election. Voters travelled from distant places to their native areas and voted enthusiastically. People flocked to the polling stations from 6:00 am on the election day in many places. The high voter turnout was interpreted by both the NDA and YSRCP camps as being in their favour.
Money and liquor were distributed extensively during the week prior to the election. Reports indicate that the amounts distributed were the highest ever in any election. Many young voters might have started drinking liquor for the first time during this election. Such practices by the ruling classes have a detrimental impact on societal culture.
The BJP has been betraying the people of Andhra Pradesh for the last decade since the bifurcation of the combined state. Despite promising Special Category Status to the state in the 2014 elections, the BJP central government has failed to deliver. The promises made on the floor of the parliament during the passage of the State Reorganisation Bill have not been fulfilled. Central educational and medical institutions promised in the Reorganisation Act remain incomplete, with many lacking even a building.
The central government has also ignored the displaced people of the Polavaram national project, leaving them stranded in the Godavari River during floods. While payments were made to contractors for dam construction, the displaced people were denied rehabilitation and resettlement benefits.
Adding to these failures, the Modi government has decided to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. This plant was established following a heroic struggle by the people of united Andhra Pradesh in the 1960s, during which 32 young people sacrificed their lives. The then Government of India bowed to public pressure and set up the plant. Today, the workers of the Steel Plant and the people of Andhra Pradesh are fighting against its privatisation, and the government has not dared to take further steps.
Despite all the betrayals by the BJP towards the state of Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) forged an alliance with it and became partners in the NDA. The ruling YSRCP has been submissive to the BJP throughout the last decade. These parties supported the BJP in the elections for president and vice president and endorsed almost all the bills, including the CAA. The people of Andhra Pradesh are very angry with the BJP, but the three regional parties are hand in glove with the saffron party. There is the NDA camp on one side and the YSRCP on the other.
The CPI(M) decided to oppose both camps and negotiated with the CPI, leading to an agreement to avoid mutual contests and identify constituencies to contest unitedly. Later, the two parties held separate talks with the Congress party. They came to an understanding that both Communist parties would contest one parliamentary and eight assembly seats each, supporting the Congress in the remaining seats. As part of this agreement, the CPI(M) contested the Araku (ST) parliamentary seat and the Kurupam (ST), Gajuwaka, Rampachodavaram (ST), Gannavaram, Vijayawada Central, Mangalagiri, Nellore City, and Panyam assembly seats. They called on the people to defeat the BJP, its allies TDP and Jana Sena, and the authoritarian YSRCP. As a result, in Andhra Pradesh, the election scenario developed into a contest among the NDA alliance, YSRCP, and the INDIA bloc.
The people of Andhra Pradesh are very angry with the BJP, and the anti-BJP space needs to be utilised by the Left and democratic sections. Therefore, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) mobilised other secular forces in this direction, conducting large public meetings and rallies addressed by Party leaders such as general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat, B V Raghavulu, and M A Baby. V Srinivas Rao, P Madhu, and other state secretariat members toured extensively, explaining to the people the harm done to the state by the BJP central government.
The CPI(M) highlighted the YSRCP state government's subservience to the BJP at the centre, particularly in implementing electricity, education, and urban reforms, which burdened the people with increased property tax, garbage charges, and electricity rates. The CPI(M) also exposed the roles of the TDP and Jana Sena in aligning with the BJP, which has attempted to incite communal tension even in Andhra Pradesh.
The CPI conducted some independent meetings as well as joint gatherings. CPI(M), CPI and the Congress together held large meetings, including one in Vijayawada on May 10, the last day of the campaign, which was addressed by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and CPI general secretary D Raja. They exposed Modi's misrule and the disastrous impact of BJP policies. Prajashakti Book House published several booklets, notably "Nayavanchana," which details the ten misdeeds of the Modi central government.
In this campaign, the Constitution Protection Forum significantly contributed to propagating against BJP’s misrule and the harm caused by the Modi government to the state. Former minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, intellectual K Vijaya Rao, Special Category Status Movement leader, Chalasani Srinivas and others toured the state, addressing hall meetings and roadshows. They focused on constituencies contested by the BJP.
Through these efforts, the anti-BJP campaign gained momentum in the state. Despite the bipolar situation between the NDA and YSRCP, the INDIA bloc managed to make inroads and challenge the dominant parties.
or reload the browser
