Jaganmohan’s YSR Cong wrests Andhra, BJD set for fifth term in Odisha

Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party was ahead in 27 assembly seats based on initial trends. 

Simultaneous assembly polls were held in four states, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.

In AndhraPradesh, it was a direct contest between the TDP and the YSR Congress, with the Congress and the BJP pushed to the sidelines. Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, which joined hands with Mayawati’s BSP and the Left parties, who was hailed as the X-factor in the assembly election, may play spoiler in some seats, but may not win any.

Janasena leader Pawan Kalyan has slipped to third position in the Gajuwaka assembly constituency. The actor-turned politician is contesting from Bhimavaram in West Godavari district as well.

Security has been tightened for both three-time chief minister and Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu and Jaganmohan Reddy, son of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, for the counting of votes today over fears of repeat of the violence that had hit the state during polling on 11 April. 

Elections for 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly constituencies were held simultaneously in the state. Exit polls were divided over the outcome of the elections. While some have projected victory for YSRCP, others have predicted that the TDP will retain power.

Ahead of the election, Naidu, who has been pushed to the wall with corruption charges, had announced a slew of welfare schemes and sops in the last few months, in a bid to give his party a fighting chance. These included a 2BHK housing scheme, under which the state government allotted houses to beneficiaries or, where the beneficiaries owned land, gave money for building houses, with the beneficiaries bearing a portion of the cost.

Apart from this, the elderly in the state have been receiving pension of Rs200 per month since February 2018. The Naidu government also set up separate corporations for Kapu, backward classes, SCs, STs, and Brahmins, for extending subsidised loans to beneficiaries.

However, all these have gone in vain with people voting for Jaganmohan Reddy’s YSR Congress en masse.

Along with the Lok Sabha elections 2019, four states — Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim — also voted to choose their next assemblies. 

In Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP won 28 seats while the Congress managed to secure 2 seats and other parties got 7 seats.

The BJP has won 12 Assembly seats. The party is leading in 11 other constituencies. Deputy Chief Minister of the state Chowna Mein won the Chowkham seat defeating his nearest Congress rival Khunang Kri. Kumsi Sidisow has won from 6-Thrizino Buragaon (ST) Assembly constituency. 

In Sikkim, the opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) won seven assembly seats and was leading in four constituencies while the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) won three and was ahead in six, election officials said. Sikkim has 32 assembly seats.

Chief minister and SDF supremo Pawan Chamling has won the Poklok Kamrang assembly seat defeating his nearest rival of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha Kharka Bahadur Rai by 2,899 votes. Chamlin is also contesting the Namchi Singhithang seat from where he is also leading by 289 votes.

In Odisha, the ruling Biju Janata Dal was leading in 102 assembly seats while the BJP was leading from 26 seats and the Congress in 15 seats in the state. A close contest ensues between BJD and BJP in Lok Sabha seats, with BJD leading in 11 seats and the BJP leading in 10. 

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who was leading in both MLA constituencies of Hinjili and Bijepur, looked set for a fifth term. He was leading with 9,815 votes in Honjili and 11,795 votes in Bijepur seat.