Anantapur is one of the 14 assembly constituencies in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is also part of the Anantapur Lok Sabha constituency, which has seven assembly segments. The constituency is known for its political rivalry between the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), with both parties trying to wrest control of the seat from each other.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the YSRCP candidate Anantha Venkatarami Reddy defeated the TDP candidate V Prabhakar Chowdary by a margin of over 28,000 votes. Reddy secured 53.71% of the votes, while Chowdary got 36%. This was a major setback for the TDP, as Chowdary was a close associate of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and had won the seat in 2014 with a margin of over 20,000 votes. The YSRCP also won six out of the seven assembly segments in the Lok Sabha constituency, with only Rayadurg going to the TDP. The Lok Sabha constituency recorded a voter turnout of 80.29%.
The 2024 elections are expected to be a close fight between the two parties, as both have their own strengths and weaknesses in the constituency. The YSRCP has the advantage of being in power at the state level and implementing various welfare schemes for the people. The party also has a strong presence in the rural areas and among the backward classes and minorities. The party’s leader and chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has a loyal following among the masses and is seen as a charismatic leader.
The TDP, on the other hand, has the support of some influential leaders and families in the constituency, such as former MP JC Diwakar Reddy and his brother JC Prabhakar Reddy. The party also has a base among the urban voters and some sections of the upper castes and traders. The party’s leader and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is known for his vision and development agenda and is seen as an experienced leader.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) are likely to revive their alliance for the 2024 elections in Andhra Pradesh, according to sources. The two parties had contested together in 2014, along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but parted ways later. The TDP and the JSP are currently in opposition to the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The TDP, led by former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, is keen to join hands with the JSP, led by actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, as it believes that the latter has a considerable influence among some sections of voters, especially in the coastal districts. The TDP also hopes that the JSP will help it counter the YSRCP’s popularity among the backward classes and minorities.
The JSP, on the other hand, is also open to an alliance with the TDP, as it feels that it needs a strong partner to improve its electoral prospects. The JSP had contested in alliance with the Left parties and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2019, but could win only one assembly seat out of 175. The JSP also faces internal issues, such as defections and lack of funds. The JSP hopes that the TDP will provide it with more resources and visibility.
However, the alliance between the TDP and the JSP is not without challenges. The two parties have different ideologies and agendas, and may face difficulties in seat-sharing and coordination. Moreover, the JSP is currently in an alliance with the BJP, which may not be comfortable with joining hands with the TDP1. The BJP has been critical of the TDP’s governance and corruption allegations in the past1. The BJP may also want to project itself as an alternative to both the YSRCP and the TDP-JSP combine.
The YSRCP, meanwhile, has dismissed the possibility of any threat from the TDP-JSP alliance. The party’s spokesperson Ambati Rambabu said that the JSP was formed only to protect the TDP’s interests and that it was its B-team. He said that the people of Andhra Pradesh have rejected both the parties in 2019 and will do so again in 2024. He said that the YSRCP was committed to providing accountable governance and welfare schemes for all sections of society.
The TDP and the JSP are thus likely to join hands again for 2024 elections, but they will have to overcome several hurdles and challenges before they can pose a serious challenge to the YSRCP. The voters will have to decide whether they want to give another chance to their old allies or stick with their new leader.
