The Congress party, which held sway in Andhra Pradesh for decades before losing favor with voters following the state’s bifurcation, is poised for a resurgence, according to party observer Manoj Chauhan. “It’s merely a matter of time. Traditional Congress loyalists who have shifted their allegiance to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) will soon return home, just like the prodigal son,” said Chauhan, one of two observers appointed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for the upcoming Andhra Pradesh elections.
Chauhan, who arrived in Vijayawada on March 29, has been extensively touring Lok Sabha constituencies to gauge the electorate’s pulse. Brimming with enthusiasm, he noted encountering Congress supporters in every village he visited. “There is a strong anti-incumbency sentiment prevailing in the state. Corruption has become a significant concern, and people have realized that no development has occurred because the YSRCP government has been preoccupied with distributing freebies to win over voters,” he stated. He further dismissed the prospects of an “opportunistic alliance,” referring to the collaboration between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Jana Sena Party (JSP).
Chauhan expressed confidence that after successes in Karnataka and Telangana, the Congress would make a comeback in Andhra Pradesh, emerging as a credible alternative to the “corrupt YSRCP” and the “opportunistic alliance.” “We are currently concentrating on strengthening our organization. For the time being, our goal is to increase our vote share from less than 2% in the 2019 elections to over 10% this time. The seeds we are sowing now will bear fruit in the 2029 elections, when the Congress will form the government in Andhra Pradesh,” he asserted.
While acknowledging the Kadapa Parliamentary segment as the epicenter of Andhra Pradesh elections for the Congress party, Chauhan claimed that Congress candidates would also emerge victorious in several Assembly seats. “It is premature to predict the exact number of seats due to the numerous permutations and combinations involved,” he said.
Regarding the ongoing dispute between YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila over their father’s legacy, Chauhan promptly reminded that the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, was a staunch Congress loyalist who firmly upheld the party’s ideology, which enabled him to become Chief Minister twice, earning immense love and respect from the people. “When Jagan Mohan Reddy sought public support, his sole qualification was that he was YSR’s son. Now that he has failed the people and Sharmila hails from the same lineage, why shouldn’t people give her a chance?” he questioned.
Addressing the issue of Andhra Pradesh’s “unscientific bifurcation” during Congress’s rule at the Centre, which resulted in the party’s decline in the state due to public backlash, Chauhan acknowledged the resentment stemming from the loss of Hyderabad, where development had been concentrated. “The Congress party pledged a substantial package to Andhra Pradesh to foster its comprehensive development, but it lost power to the BJP, which subsequently abandoned Andhra Pradesh,” he explained.
Chauhan emphasized that the party leadership’s stance on SCS remains unchanged, highlighting the Congress’s distinction as the only party to include the grant of SCS to Andhra Pradesh in its election manifesto. The ‘Nyay Patra,’ as the manifesto is known, encompasses ‘Paanch Nyay’ or five pillars of justice: ‘Yuva Nyay’ for the youth, ‘Naari Nyay’ for women, ‘Kisan Nyay’ for farmers, ‘Shramik Nyay’ for workers, and ‘Hissedari Nyay’ for marginalized communities.
The Congress leader accused the ruling YSRCP and its alliance partners of escalating election expenses. “I’ve heard reports of some candidates spending close to ₹100 crore. The Congress cannot afford such extravagance,” he said, alleging that the Modi government had frozen the Congress’s bank accounts ahead of the elections. “Nevertheless, the people have already made up their minds in favor of the Congress party,” Chauhan concluded.
