04-15-2009, 12:54 AM
<b>Results may shock Cong</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->As the stage is set for the first phase of State Assembly election in Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party-led Grand Alliance seems to be overtaking the ruling Congress in most constituencies. In the first phase, 154 of the 294 Assembly seats go to poll on Thursday.
If the trend continues in the second phase, it will be difficult for the Congress to retain the power in the State. The Grand Alliance, which consists of the TDP, TRS, CPI and the CPM, is comfortably placed in 72 of the 154 Assembly constituencies in 13 districts and is likely to improve the tally further as it is locked in a close fight on 23 seats.
Despite Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddyâs confidence, the Congress seems to be ahead only in 52 Assembly seats. Contrary to expectations, the third force in the State â Praja Rajyam Party of Chiranjeevi â seems to be lagging far behind and is likely to win only two Assembly seats in the first phase. In fact, the Hyderabad-based Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) is likely to win most seats after the Grand Alliance and the Congress â seven in and around the capital.
As far as the 22 Lok Sabha seats are concerned, the Grand Alliance is likely to bag at least nine.
Six seats where the contest is neck-and-neck are Warangal, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Ankapalle, Mahbubnagar and Visakhapatanam. The Congress is ahead in six Lok Sabha constituencies â Araku (ST), Nagarkurnool (SC), Chevella (S Jaipal Reddy), Nizamabad, Peddapalle and Krimnagar. Congressâ ally MIM is likely to retain the Hyderabad seat for the eighth consecutive time.
These figures have emerged after an analysis of candidates and issues, weaknesses and strengths of different parties in 13 districts of Telangana and northern coastal Andhra.
While the performance of the YS Rajasekhara Reddy Government â especially its welfare schemes like free electricity to farmers, rice at highly subsidised rates and free health insurance for the poor â seems to be working in favour of Congress, the divisions and differences within the party ranks, wrong selection of candidates and presence of rebels seems to be going against it in several constituencies.
For the TDP, joining hands with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), CPI and the CPM seems to be to its advantage. N Chandrababu Naidu seems to be benefiting from the promises like cash transfer scheme and free television sets to the poor. Naiduâs aggressive campaign, backed by the joint electioneering and the participation of film stars like N Balakrishna and Junior NTR, has succeeded in spreading the word around that TDP is no longer against populist schemes. The change of partyâs stand in favour of Telangana is also working in its favour.
The Praja Rajyam Party has miserably failed to take off due to a combination of factors, especially due to wrong selection of candidates and alleged sale of tickets. To begin with, PRP was never a favourite in the Telangana region. Surprisingly, it is equally weak in north coastal Andhra as well, which is considered a TDP stronghold.
The Grand Alliance is leading in six of the 10 Assembly seats in Adilabad, four of the nine seats in Nizamabad, six of 13 in Karimnagar, seven of 12 in Warangal, four of 10 in Medak, eight of 14 in Ranga Reddy, four of 15 in Hyderabad city, seven of 14 in Mahbubnagar, seven of 12 in Nalgonda and four of the 10 in Khammam district. In coastal Andhra, Grand Alliance is ahead in six of the 15 seats in Visakhapatanam, six of 10 seats in Vijayanagaram and five of 10 Assembly seats in Srikakkulam.
On the other hand, the Congress is ahead in three seats each in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam, four seats each in Warangal and Visakhapatanam, five each in Karimnagar, Medak and Mahbubnagar and two each in the Left bastion of Nalgonda and Khammam.
The MIM is ahead in seven constituencies in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy. Jayprakash Narayan of Lok Satta is likely to win Kukatpally and G Kishan Reddy of BJP the Amberpet seat. The only two Assembly seats where PRP seems ahead are Ankapally in Visakhapatanam and Narsannapeta in Srikakulam. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If the trend continues in the second phase, it will be difficult for the Congress to retain the power in the State. The Grand Alliance, which consists of the TDP, TRS, CPI and the CPM, is comfortably placed in 72 of the 154 Assembly constituencies in 13 districts and is likely to improve the tally further as it is locked in a close fight on 23 seats.
Despite Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddyâs confidence, the Congress seems to be ahead only in 52 Assembly seats. Contrary to expectations, the third force in the State â Praja Rajyam Party of Chiranjeevi â seems to be lagging far behind and is likely to win only two Assembly seats in the first phase. In fact, the Hyderabad-based Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) is likely to win most seats after the Grand Alliance and the Congress â seven in and around the capital.
As far as the 22 Lok Sabha seats are concerned, the Grand Alliance is likely to bag at least nine.
Six seats where the contest is neck-and-neck are Warangal, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Ankapalle, Mahbubnagar and Visakhapatanam. The Congress is ahead in six Lok Sabha constituencies â Araku (ST), Nagarkurnool (SC), Chevella (S Jaipal Reddy), Nizamabad, Peddapalle and Krimnagar. Congressâ ally MIM is likely to retain the Hyderabad seat for the eighth consecutive time.
These figures have emerged after an analysis of candidates and issues, weaknesses and strengths of different parties in 13 districts of Telangana and northern coastal Andhra.
While the performance of the YS Rajasekhara Reddy Government â especially its welfare schemes like free electricity to farmers, rice at highly subsidised rates and free health insurance for the poor â seems to be working in favour of Congress, the divisions and differences within the party ranks, wrong selection of candidates and presence of rebels seems to be going against it in several constituencies.
For the TDP, joining hands with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), CPI and the CPM seems to be to its advantage. N Chandrababu Naidu seems to be benefiting from the promises like cash transfer scheme and free television sets to the poor. Naiduâs aggressive campaign, backed by the joint electioneering and the participation of film stars like N Balakrishna and Junior NTR, has succeeded in spreading the word around that TDP is no longer against populist schemes. The change of partyâs stand in favour of Telangana is also working in its favour.
The Praja Rajyam Party has miserably failed to take off due to a combination of factors, especially due to wrong selection of candidates and alleged sale of tickets. To begin with, PRP was never a favourite in the Telangana region. Surprisingly, it is equally weak in north coastal Andhra as well, which is considered a TDP stronghold.
The Grand Alliance is leading in six of the 10 Assembly seats in Adilabad, four of the nine seats in Nizamabad, six of 13 in Karimnagar, seven of 12 in Warangal, four of 10 in Medak, eight of 14 in Ranga Reddy, four of 15 in Hyderabad city, seven of 14 in Mahbubnagar, seven of 12 in Nalgonda and four of the 10 in Khammam district. In coastal Andhra, Grand Alliance is ahead in six of the 15 seats in Visakhapatanam, six of 10 seats in Vijayanagaram and five of 10 Assembly seats in Srikakkulam.
On the other hand, the Congress is ahead in three seats each in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam, four seats each in Warangal and Visakhapatanam, five each in Karimnagar, Medak and Mahbubnagar and two each in the Left bastion of Nalgonda and Khammam.
The MIM is ahead in seven constituencies in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy. Jayprakash Narayan of Lok Satta is likely to win Kukatpally and G Kishan Reddy of BJP the Amberpet seat. The only two Assembly seats where PRP seems ahead are Ankapally in Visakhapatanam and Narsannapeta in Srikakulam. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->