AP People Reject ‘Goddali Party’ Again, Endorse Coalition Government’s Performance

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday thanked the people for reiterating their faith in the government and the good governance it has been providing by giving a near-clean sweep in the local body election in the state.

Addressing a press conference at his camp office in Undavalli, Naidu said there were internal problems in the selection of candidates, as the party had to consider many parameters before finalising the names of the candidates on one hand and the difficulties that generally arise in a coalition government consisting of three political parties.

Naidu said that leaders of all three parties discussed and adopted a give-and-take policy and successfully not only resolved the issue but also ensured the victory of the candidates. He said it was the cooperation he got from the Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and BJP leaders that helped in resolving the seat-sharing issue.

He said there were still some grey areas which the TDP and alliance partners will have to look into and resolve at their respective party levels.

However, the ruling coalition secured better results than in the 2024 elections, the CM said.

“In 2024, we secured 55.3 per cent of the votes, while the YSRCP polled 39 per cent. In the local body elections, the coalition secured 58.9 per cent of the votes, while the YSRCP received 33.56 per cent,” he said. He pointed out that the YSRCP's vote share had declined by 6.25 percentage points.

The coalition had achieved a 94 per cent strike rate in municipal chairperson posts, he added.

Naidu said the coalition had won more than 90 per cent of the MPTC seats. Of the 659 ZPTC seats, the coalition had secured 575. It had won Zilla Parishad elections in all districts except Alluri Sitarama Raju district, he said.

In seven districts, the YSRCP had failed to win even a single ZPTC seat, he added.

The Chief Minister said the coalition had secured 67 per cent of the postal ballot votes. While the YSRCP had earlier alleged that EVMs were tampered with, it was now accusing the ruling coalition of rigging ballot papers, he said, questioning why the party was silent about the postal ballot results.

Naidu said the people had given their stamp of approval to the coalition government and supported it across all regions of the State. The results reflected public appreciation of its welfare and development-oriented governance, he said.

The government had been working towards rebuilding the State over the past two-and-a-half years, he said, adding that the coalition had come together to protect Andhra Pradesh.

He said the opposition YSRCP (Goddali Party), tried all the tricks it had up its sleeve to create hurdles in the local body polls, but the courts pulled him up. People have seen how destructive the previous government was, how the brand AP was totally destroyed and how the present government had to fight back to restore the brand image of Andhra Pradesh, which is now attracting investments. People have endorsed our welfare schemes and our policy of earning revenue and spending for the welfare of the people, unlike the earlier government, which focused on destruction, not development.

He said the government had begun its journey with the Swarna Andhra Vision and had prepared a clear vision document. Conquering drought remained one of its foremost priorities, he added.

Naidu said efforts were underway to transform drought-prone Rayalaseema, often described as a land of rocks, into a prosperous region.

Referring to rainfall conditions, he said the State had recorded a 53 per cent deficit during the kharif season. However, prudent planning and foresight had helped the government conserve and utilise water efficiently last year.

The government was taking steps to bring the Polavaram project into operation, he said. Once the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project became a reality, drought would no longer be a concern for the State, he added.

Naidu further said the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was a party driven by committed cadres who remained loyal to its flag irrespective of changes in leadership.

He said politics should be pursued with a spirit of service rather than with money. The TDP was essentially a cadre-based party, where workers remained committed to the organisation even when leaders changed, he observed.

Naidu said the government had effectively tackled challenges posed by El Nino and cyclones such as Arnab and Murasu and did not hesitate to seek assistance from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

According to him reducing economic inequalities was one of its key objectives, he said, adding that the government had brought about significant changes in the State and restored the brand image of Andhra Pradesh.

He advised party workers to adopt technology and work smart rather than merely putting in more physical effort.

The Chief Minister criticised the YSRCP, alleging that it had attempted to obstruct the implementation of reservations for Backward Classes (BCs). He accused the party of conspiring to prevent the local body elections from taking place.

Naidu said leaders of the “Goddali Party,” were following an unacceptable approach and described their politics as a 'hit-and-run' strategy.

He said people had rejected what he termed 'Rappa Rappa' politics. The local body elections had been conducted more peacefully than ever before, he claimed, although there were incidents of violence allegedly involving the YSRCP in a few places.

He alleged that the party continued to rely on criminal activities and violence. No one could overturn the people's verdict through political theatrics, he asserted.

Naidu said people were unwilling to vote for the YSRCP and had instead chosen either the ruling coalition or independent rebel candidates.

In Chirala, the Congress had polled more votes than the YSRCP, he pointed out. He also said that whenever elections were conducted democratically in Kadapa, the results would reflect a similar pattern.

"The people have recognised our hard work. Their verdict has further increased our responsibility," he said.

The Chief Minister congratulated leaders and cadres of all coalition partners for their efforts. He added that the government had no reservations about accepting its shortcomings and would take corrective steps wherever mistakes were identified.