Fierce battle on cards for Seemandhra

Hyderabad: A fierce battle has reached its peak between YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy and TDP supreme Chandrababu Naidu for supremacy in Seemandhra, which goes to polls on May 7.

As these elections have become a do or die struggle for both, they are leaving no stone unturned to secure enough seats to form a government in the first government of the residuary Andhra Pradesh that comes into being on June 2.

Keen on becoming the first chief minister of Seemandhra so that they can develop the region from scratch, both Jagan and Naidu have marshaled all their resources including men and machinery into their campaign.

If Jagan is aided by his mother Vijayamma and sister Sharmila as star campaigners, Naidu is banking on the image of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and actor Pawan Kalyan.

The campaigning in Seemandhra has reached a crescendo, as both Naidu and Jagan have hit the streets under a scorching sun and covered even small and remote towns in the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.

While Naidu has cobbled together a coalition with BJP by allotting it four Lok Sabha and 15 Assembly seats, Jagan's YSR Congress is in the fray in all the 25 MP and 175 Assembly seats.

Besides touting his vast experience as the chief minister of the State for nine years Naidu is banking on his promises to woo dominant sections like farmers, women and physically challenged.

He announced waiver of loans for farmers apart from supplying free power for nine hours per day. In place of Rajiv Arogya Sri, Naidu came up with a free medical facility for poor under NTR Health Cards.

As if all this is not enough, Naidu made a promise to appoint two chief deputy chief ministers ' one for BCs and another for Kapu community, if he comes to power.

On the other hand, Jagan is promising to revive his late father YS Rajasekhara Reddy's welfare schemes by claiming to inherit his populist legacy.

He has promised to change the lot of people of Seemandhra by affixing his signature on five major populist schemes benefitting students, old people and poor villagers on health and education. Support from some Kapu outfits is a boon to Jagan.

What Naidu Offers

-Waiver of loans of farmers and nine hours free power.
-Cancellation of belt shops and protection through cell phones to women.
-Rs 1,000 pension to the aged and to physically challenged.
-Construction of new capital city for Andhra Pradesh with international facilities on par with Delhi.
-To develop Andhra Pradesh as hardware capital of the country.
-To make Andhra Pradesh as energy centre of the country with gas deposits.
-Employment or self-employment to each home.

What Jagan Offers

-Building a capital city "better than Hyderabad" for Seemandhra.
-Rs 500 dole for school students.
-Loan waiver for women self-help groups.
-Hike in social security pensions.
-Agriculture and veterinary universities and starting of a "colleges and mobile vans' service".
-Effectively implementing Arogyasri health scheme.
-Building 50 lakh houses in five years.
-State will be rid of power cuts by 2019.
-Completion of the Polavaram and the Chintalapudi irrigation projects.