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Alliance dilemma haunts YSRCP
Uncertainty over finding electoral alliances seems stalking the YSRCP, the principal Opposition in Andhra Pradesh. A printed sheet with open-ended questions circulated at its plenary here on Saturday seeking feedback from the delegates over the crucial subject is a pointer to the party’s dilemma.
TO GO IT ALONE OR NOT: Party wants to feel the pulse of cadre
Mangalagiri (Guntur dist): Uncertainty over finding electoral alliances seems stalking the YSRCP, the principal Opposition in Andhra Pradesh. A printed sheet with open-ended questions circulated at its plenary here on Saturday seeking feedback from the delegates over the crucial subject is a pointer to the party’s dilemma.
The proforma sought to know of the cadres’ pulse on whether the YSRCP shall go it alone or sail with like-minded partners in 2019 elections. “Which party do you suggest as an ideal partner if you opt for alliances,” asks a sub-question.
In another question, the party sought to know the choice of preference of cadres over the following Prime Ministerial candidates- the present incumbent Narendra Modi, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Jagan narrowly missed the bus in the 2014 elections with a slight margin of just 5 lakh votes due to his political isolation.
When Chandrababu Naidu succeeded in striking a deal with Narendra Modi’s BJP and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan, the YSRCP chief failed to cobble up unity in opposition camp. His alleged political arrogance and complacency were attributed to division of opposition vote in the previous election. Jagan continued with his solo show sitting in the opposition in the last three years with his sectarian approach without drawing any lesion from the past.
Jagan and the other Opposition parties like the Left and the Congress fought the government on public issues such as land mobilization for capital, special category status etc from separate platforms. This divided fight obviously comes as a blessing in disguise for the TDP government.
The YSRCP is still failing to relocate itself in the national political context. Jagan declined the request of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) for his party’s support to its Presidential candidate Meira Kumar. Instead, he extended unsolicited support to the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, making political contours hazy and heightening fluidity vis-à-vis alliances involving the YSRCP.
His U-turn resulted in diluting his fight against the NDA government over bifurcation-related issues such as special category status, railway zone and the Polavaram project.
The YSRCP’s stoic silence over these crucial issues while adopting a political resolution at the plenary indicated its new found soft stance towards the NDA government.
With Jagan’s stand in the presidential elections, the line between the TDP, an ally of the ruling NDA, and his party blurred, negating his attempts to build anti-government sentiment by crusading various issues such as corruption, land scam in Visakhapatnam etc in the State.
Even in the Jagan’s brief welcome address and in the deliberations of the second-rung leaders the anti-NDA rhetoric was conspicuously missing unlike in the past sessions.
