PM Modi’s Strategic Move: Amping Up Campaign in Andhra Pradesh for Combined Polls

Image source: The Economic 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lead the BJP’s campaign efforts in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, as the party collaborates with former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and actor-politician K Pawan Kalyan’s JanaSena Party (JSP) in its southern expansion.

Congress Strategizes: Priyanka Gandhi Focuses on Family Strongholds in Amethi and Raebareli

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Priyanka Gandhi of the Congress party is directing her attention towards the traditional strongholds of her family, namely Amethi and Raebareli. The announcement of Congress candidates for these constituencies came after a significant delay, occurring on the final day for filing nominations.

After the completion of polling in 283 Lok Sabha seats spanning three phases, attention is now shifting towards the 96 seats in 10 states and Union Territories set to vote in the upcoming phase on May 13.

Prime Minister’s Modi Busy Wednesday: Rallies, Roadshow, and Temple Visit

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On Wednesday, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address three rallies in Karimnagar, Warangal, and Rajampet, along with attending a roadshow in Vijayawada. Additionally, he plans to visit the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple in Karimnagar.

Although the BJP’s presence in Andhra Pradesh remains limited, having contested all 25 Lok Sabha seats without securing any victories in 2019, its allies faced similar challenges. The TDP managed to secure only three seats, while the JSP failed to win any. In the 175-member Assembly, the TDP, JSP, and BJP secured 23, 1, and 0 seats, respectively, in 2019. Meanwhile, the ruling YSR Congress Party claimed a landslide victory, winning 151 seats along with 22 Lok Sabha seats.

NDA’s Seat-sharing Deal: Allocation Breakdown for TDP, BJP, and JSP

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Under the NDA’s seat-sharing agreement, the TDP was assigned 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, while the BJP is contesting from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. The JSP, on the other hand, is contesting from two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats 

Political Dynamics in Andhra Pradesh: The Evolution of TDP-BJP Relations and Strategic Alliances

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Although the TDP and BJP were previously allies, their partnership dissolved in 2018 when Naidu severed ties, citing the Centre’s failure to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh as the reason. Since then, with the TDP facing challenges in the state, Naidu has been attempting to re-establish ties with the NDA. The BJP aims to leverage the support bases of the TDP and JSP to counter the dominant YSRCP. For Naidu, aligning with the BJP provides assurance of a robust ally, particularly at the Centre, and serves as a shield against ongoing investigations, in addition to potentially increasing the vote share.

Simultaneously, prominent leaders of the BJP are engaged in campaign activities across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to address rallies in UP’s Hardoi and Kannauj, as well as in Maharashtra’s Jalna. Meanwhile, party national president J P Nadda is focusing on Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is holding events in Odisha’s Kalahandi and Rayagada. Notably, in addition to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Odisha is also gearing up for state Assembly elections.

Re-polling Ordered in Barmer Constituency Due to Vote Confidentiality Breach

Image source: Times of India

Re-polling has been mandated for a specific polling booth within the Barmer Lok Sabha constituency in Rajasthan, following a verified violation of vote confidentiality, as officially confirmed. This directive resulted in the suspension of four members from the polling team. Praveen Gupta, the CEO, has specified that the Election Commission has instructed the re-polling to take place at a booth situated in Dudhwa Khurd village..