Andhra Pradesh + Telangana: Parliamentary elections 2014
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2014
Seemandhra
TDP wins big in Seemandhra, ends Naidu's decade-old political exile
TEAM TOI
The Times of India May 17 2014
Cong Draws A Blank In LS, State Polls
Hyderabad: After a decade in the political wilderness, N Chandrababu Naidu took TDP to power in residuary Andhra Pradesh, with his party winning 102 of the 175 assembly seats in the region.
The fledgling YSR Congres headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, a prepoll favourite, bagged 67 seats.
In the Lok Sabha elections, the TDP-BJP alliance bagged 17 of the 25 seats, with the rest going to YSR Congres. As expected, Congres drew a blank and could not open its account in either the assembly or the LS polls. As part of the alliance with TDP, BJP managed to get four assembly seats.
“I am a fighter and this election results proved that,” Naidu told the media. “I fought against Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and state CMs, including Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, and have always emerged victorious.” For his part, Jagan said he honoured the people’s verdict and promised to play the role of a constructive opposition.
In perhaps the biggest upset, BJP’s K Hari Babu trounced YSR Congres honorary president Y S Vijayamma in the Visakhapatnam LS seat. Political analysts said
both Modi and Naidu were seen as ‘development leaders’ and the electorate plumped for them because the residuary state needs rapid development.
Except for Kurnool district and to a certain extent Kadapa, it was TDP which held sway in the Rayalaseema region. Congres deserter J C Diwakar Reddy romped home on a TDP ticket in Anantapur district but in Rajampet LS seat, from where ex-Union minister Purandeswari was the BJP candidate, YSR Congres prevailed. Jagan’s party also managed to wrest the Tirupati LS seat from Congres.
Although the gap between the margin of seats won by TDP and YSR Congres was wide, it was a close
contest in many seats, especially the assembly ones.
The biggest story in the Seemandhra election results was the drubbing Congres received. All Union ministers — Panabaka Lakshmi (Bapatla), Kishore Chandra Deo (Araku), Pallam Raju (Kakinada), Killi Kripa Rani (Srikakulam) and Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy (Kurnool) lost — lost to either a TDP or a YSR Congres candidate.
In the assembly elections too, all Congres stalwarts and state ministers were trounced. They included state Congres chief N Raghuveera Reddy (Penukonda), Botsa Satyanarayana (Cheepurupalle), Anam Ramnarayan Reddy (Atmakur) and Kanna Lakshminarayana (Guntur West).
Telengana
TRS romps home wearing T-shirt
Hyderabad:
The Times of India May 17 2014
TEAM TOI
Hyderabad: Riding on the T-sentiment, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Friday won a majority in the new state by bagging 63 of the 119 assembly and also 11 of the 17 Lok Sabha seats.
The electorate gave no credit to Congres for granting Telangana and humbled party bigwigs, including Union minister Jaipal Reddy, and most of the sitting MPs and assembly candidates. This included TPCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah.
YSR Congres opened its account in Telangana by bagging the Khammam LS seat and a couple of assembly seats in the same district.
The final tally for Congres in the assembly was a meagre 21 seats, down from the 48 it had won in 2009. The party won two LS seats — down from 12 in 2009.
The TDP-BJP combine came close to the Congres assembly tally by bagging 20 seats, of which the regional party bagged 15 and BJP five. Almost all of them are in Greater Hyderabad, where a Modi wave was discernable. The alliance also did well in the LS polls: winning two seats, Secunderabad (BJP) and Malkajgiri (TDP), in the city.
Political analysts said it was clear the creation of Telangana not only destroyed Congres in Seemandhra but in Telangana too. They said the anti-incumbency against Congres was so strong that even the creation of Telangana could not create a favourable environment for the party.
MIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi won the Hyderabad seat.
MIM also won its traditional seven assembly seats in the Old City of Hyderabad.
The Telangana sentiment worked well for the TRS even in urban areas, with its candidates bagging the Secunderabad assembly and Chevella LS seats.
