The YSR Congress party, which had dominated the political landscape for the past four years by winning a massive 151 MLA seats, 22 MP seats, and all local bodies, both urban and rural, faced a bitter setback in the recent three graduates' constituency MLC elections.
The Chief Minister and party president, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, had envisioned a target of 175 MLA seats for the upcoming 2024 general election, but the outcome of the three graduate MLC seats has come out as a significant blow to the party, 14 months before the general election.
The TDP, which has entered the contest for the MLC elections from the Assembly quota, fielded its candidate, thereby forcing the election. Although the ruling party leaders have shrugged off the TDP's victory, it is bound to have an impact on the voters in the 2024 general election. The TDP has already issued a whip to all its 23 MLAs, including the four MLAs who defected to the ruling party, and unless these MLAs vote for the ruling party, the TDP's victory is almost certain. Moreover, the TDP is anticipating support from two to three rebel MLAs of the YSR Congress, including Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy.
Sources say that CM Jagan has taken the issue strictly and has instructed his MLA's to do proper poll management and ensure that the party gains the seat as a matter of prestige for the ruling party and now the leaders are working hard to keep their flock intact. It remains to be seen if the YSR Congress can win all seven seats or if they will lose the seventh seat to the TDP, making it a complete rout for the ruling party.
