AP 2019 Saw The Rise Of YS Jagan, Fall Of Chandrababu
AMARAVATI: The spectacular rise of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the fall of Nara Chandrababu Naidu ! There was nothing bigger than this, in the year-2019, in the new Andhra Pradesh's five-year-old history. It was a tumultuous year for the state in many ways, beginning with the electoral battle, followed by the installation of a new regime, the path breaking policy decisions that ensued, which was hailed by many across sectors as revolutionary.
It was the election year and the first four months saw an intense, no-holds-barred, vitriolic political battle probably ever fought in the state's history.
In the do-or-die battle, Chandrababu Naidu, touted as the grand old man of AP politics, and his TDP were left badly mauled at the hustings by the YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who realised his dream of becoming chief minister after a nine-year political struggle.His Praja Sankalpa Yatra , a walkathon where as the leader of the Opposition, he traversed through 13 districts, 135 assembly constituencies, 2516 villages for a period of 341 days covering 3648 Kms. He conducted and addressed 124 public rallies and 55 'Atmiya Sammelans' during the Padayatra, which finally culminated on January 9th, 2019 at Ichchapuram in Srikakulam district. Vijaya Sankalpa Sthupam, a pylon in commemoration of this Padayatra was inaugurated on the last day.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's mass outreach program Praja Sankalpa Yatra was one of its kindswhich brought him close to more than 1.25 crore people.
Also Read: From Padayatra To Popular Governance, YS Jagan Cynosure Of 2019
The result of this was such that the YSR Congress Party registered a stupendous victory in the general elections, bagging a record 151 seats in the 175- member AP Assembly, besides winning 22 of 25 Lok Sabha seats.
The Telugu Desam Party that ruled the truncated state since it came into being in June 2014 after creation of Telangana, had to be content with a mere 23 seats in the assembly and just three in Lok Sabha.
The 2019 election was such a bitter pill for the TDP supremo, an experienced campaigner of 40-year standing, that his son and heir-in-waiting Lokesh bit the dust in his maiden electoral foray.
In the run-up to the polls, the fledgling Jana Sena of actor Pawan Kalyan was considered a potential spoiler that could dent the chances of either of the two main rivals, but came a cropper after the party could manage just one seat in the assembly. Kalyan himself lost from the two seats he contested.
For the two national parties, BJP and Congress, the AP elections were only a nightmare as they drew a blank.
Post government formation, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy started revising a number of initiatives, cancelling several projects and the agreements the previous government entered into with various private investors. Notwithstanding the empty coffers left behind by the previous regime the Government undeterred has been launching new schemes and making huge efforts to ensure the promises made to be the people are fulfilled.
Despite supposed negative feedback from the ground level, YS Jagan stands still and has decided not to backtrack from his promises, saying "I am only undoing all the wrongs of the previous regime and trying to save public money." All that only promises to make Year 2020 more eventful for AP. (With inputs from PTI)
