Vijayawada: The resounding victory of NDA coalition candidates in the graduate constituency MLC elections has sparked celebrations within the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), with party members bursting crackers in jubilation. Party leadership views this success as a strong endorsement of the government’s performance over the past eight months.

The NDA coalition candidates secured over 65% of the votes, signifying robust support from the youth for the ruling government. This marks a notable increase from the 57% vote share the NDA parties received in the 2024 Assembly elections. The results demonstrate a growing trust in the coalition's governance. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu congratulated the victorious candidates, urging them to stay connected with the people and raise awareness about the government's initiatives.

He also warned them to remain vigilant against potential attempts by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to misrepresent the government's efforts. Naidu emphasized the need to remind the public of the damage inflicted during the previous five-year rule of the YSRCP. TDP General Secretary and IT Minister Nara Lokesh asserted that the election results have dismantled the YSRCP’s false narratives. He outlined the various welfare schemes and key decisions implemented by the NDA government in the past eight months, including the imminent announcement of the DSC notification.

Lokesh acknowledged the heightened responsibility on the alliance government to fulfill all electoral promises, including the creation of 20 lakh jobs. He further said that Talliki Vandanam would be launched from May 1.

Expressing disappointment with the opposition, Lokesh pointed out that the YSRCP has been avoiding Assembly proceedings on trivial grounds.

He noted that in the past eight months, the opposition attended the Assembly for a mere 11 minutes, with their leader even fleeing to Bengaluru. In the Krishna-Guntur graduates’ constituency, NDA candidate Alapati Rajendra Prasad secured 1,45,057 votes, achieving a 67.51% vote share and defeating PDF candidate K.S. Lakshmana Rao with a decisive majority of 82,320 votes.

Meanwhile, in the combined Godavari districts, NDA candidate Perabattula Rajasekhar won with a majority of 77,461 votes, registering a 62.59% vote share. Notably, the YSR Congress Party chose not to contest the elections.

The outcome of the MLC elections underscores the growing public confidence in the NDA coalition and its governance, further strengthening its position in Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape.