May 23 is a never-to-be forgotten day in the annals of the Andhra Pradesh history. This is the day when the people of the state have bid a resounding good bye to the TDP misrule and ushered in the YSRCP rule. It was on this day that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy became the youngest chief minister ever in the history of Andhra Pradesh.
YS Jagan had won with such a stupendous majority that the TDP was content with just three of the 25 MP seats and 23 out of 175 assembly seats. This is the worst ever performance of the TDP to date. Even Chandrababu Naidu, the unquestioned leader of the party had to suffer a scare and win with a much reduced margin. In fact, even in 2014, Chandrababu Naidu and his TDP could win only courtesy the BJP, the Modi factor and the Pawan Kalyan’s support.The TDP had won 102 seats, while the YSRCP with 67 seats was the chief and the only opposition. But, the difference between the two parties was a mere 5 lakh votes.
Not one to be unnerved by reversals, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy undertook a massive and unprecedented Praja Sankalp Yatra that covered over 3648 km in the state. The yatra began on November 6, 2017 from Idupulapaya, where the YSR memorial is located. The yatra ended at Ichchapuram in Srikalukam district. With a flush of public support, YS Jagan entered the poll fray, while a jaded Chandrababu went to the polls with absolutely no achievements to his credit.
When the elections were held n April 11, 2019, it was a foregone conclusion that YS Jagan will win. When the votes were counted, it was found that the difference between the victorious YSRCP and the losing TDP was a staggering 11 per cent. On May 30, 2019, YS Jagan took oath of office as the chief minister of the state. Successive bypolls and other local body elections have shown that the Jagan Juggernaut is only consolidating its position in AP. The TDP, with practically no strategy and no agenda, is finding itself at its weakest. It is unable to retrieve the lost ground.
Today thus is the second anniversary of the YS Jagan’s staggering victory in AP. Despite the hiccups and in-built systemic problems caused by bifurcation, the YSRCP is still forging ahead in the state.
