YSR Congress banks on sympathy vote
HYDERABAD: In the face of dire hints dropped by the government that Jagan Mohan Reddy's properties would be attached, his party, the YSR Congress remained nonchalant about it. Its cadres even crowed that the 'persecution' of their leader would only help raise him to sainthood.
In the same vein, YSRCP candidates who are due to fight 18 Assembly (and one Lok Sabha) byelections on June 12 believe that they will benefit from a sympathy wave for their leader. One of them said he and his fellow candidates have already been told by their leader to expect difficulties.
This candidate claimed that Jagan once advised the Congress MLAs in his flock not to keep company with him if they did not have the guts to face adverse situations.
That was the reason why the strength of the Jagan camp fell to 18, he explained. Another YSRCP leader said the party is expecting the CBI to arrest Jagan anytime, which would only boost the party's prospects in the byelections.
After the freeze of the accounts of Jagan media, YSRCP leaders conducted a 'special scientific survey' across the state and found people were full of sympathy for Jagan. This, they expect, would increase the party's vote by 3-4 per cent.
'The witch-hunt by the Congress, TDP and CBI is making Jagan more popular and will lead to a drubbing of all other party candidates,' said one party leader.
YSRCP leader Bajireddy Govardhan said precedents in AP suggest that any political leader treated harshly by the government would gain the sympathy of voters. Political observers say there is a flip side to the rosy picture: if Jagan is indeed arrested, funds would dry up for his candidates.
However, the YSRCP candidate for the Macherla bypoll in Guntur district, Pinneli Ramakrishna Reddy said he has factored all that. The bypoll candidates are prepared to carry on without financial support from their patron.
YSRC spokesperson Gattu Ramachandar Rao said when there's sympathy to be had, who needs money. 'We didn't spend money in the Kadapa and Kovur bypolls, but we won handsomely,' he said.
News Posted: 18 May, 2012
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