Janata Party posts convincing victory in Andhra Pradesh Assembly by-elections

The Indira wave rolled back and the Janata Party, with some shrewd surfing, coasted to a convincing victory in one of the three by-elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly held on April 5. The Congress(l) managed to win the other two seats by margins smaller than in the 1978 elections.Even before the news of the voting patterns began to trickle out from the counting centres, Chief Minister T. Anjiah flew to Delhi to explain to Mrs Gandhi the possible reasons for the party's dismal performance. And when the dismayed Anjiah returned to Hyderabad the same evening, he firmly declared: "It is a clear case of internal sabotage and therefore the Janata victory is no surprise."The chief minister's sabotage theory is partly true as indiscipline in the Congress(I) ranks is on the rise. Internal dissensions in the party, and cross voting by disaffected partymen and sympathisers worked to the Opposition's advantage. But the Janata Party leader S. Jaipal Reddy asks tauntingly: "When they win, the Congress(I) victory is because of the Congress(I), and when they lose it is sabotage. Since when have Congressmen turned saboteurs?"Besides the infighting in the Congress(l) the Janata Party carried out an intelligent campaign. In the Chirala constituency, its nominee Sajja Chandramouli exploited sentiments cleverly and brought local issues to the fore. Chandramouli, 53, a surgeon by training, lost the 1972 and 1978 elections by slender margins of 600 and 1,857 votes respectively. So his third try for the MLA title evoked special sympathy.Key Factors: Added to this were local issues. About 5,000 workers were disenchanted by the Government's indifference to a company going in for a mechanical thresher that threatened to throw them out of jobs. Some 10,000 fisher folk were angry over the official complacency in allowing trawlers to fish close to the coast, which meant that they got in the way of the country boats. Says Chandramouli. "Over-riding these factors were the rising prices of essential commodities that the Congress(I) has not been able to peg at any level."Anjiah: dismal performanceThe Congress(I) is understandably perturbed by the swing away from the party. Janata Party's Chandramouli polled 59.25 per cent of the valid votes while the Congress(I) candidate polled 32.63 per cent. In the last Assembly election Chandramouli polled 41.23 per cent of the votes and the Congress(I) 43.46 percent.In the other by-elections, both in reserved constituencies, Mrs Gandhi's traditional vote banks, the victory margins were less than in the last Assembly elections. In Ibrahim-patnam the party polled only 52,55 per cent against 57.29 per cent in 1978. However, in Palair the Congress(I) polled 8.82 per cent more votes than in the last election. But, as a senior Congress(I) minister admits: "These two seats would have been won by the Opposition had not the rivals been communist candidates."Poor Performance:Clearly the Congress(I) is shaken by its performance. The state Pradesh Congress Committee(I) president and Forest Minister M. A. Aziz is keeping a stiff upper lip till the report of the party's observers and that of the Roads and Buildings Minister D. V. Kondaiah Choudhary, who camped for a fortnight in the Chirala constituency, are available.Meanwhile, emboldened by his victory, Chandramouli alleges misuse of official machinery and the refusal of petrol for the vehicles of the Janata Party on the last two days of electioneering. Says he: "Choudhary sanctioned works to the tune of Rs 25 lakh while he was busy electioneering. The Government may not reveal why it sanctioned them in a hurry but I will ensure that the works are taken up." Understandably Choudhary went into hibernation soon after the result was announced. Chandramouli: satisfying winThe Janata's Chirala victory, the second by an opposition party in a by-election in the state since 1971, is a pointer to the poor state of the Congress(I) organisation. Anjiah has been talking of revitalising the party set-up and though some names are in the air the search for a successor to Aziz is still going on.In the light of the recent defeat, finding a worthy organiser to take on the responsibility of managing party affairs, and ensuring victory in the elections of the village panchayats and municipal bodies scheduled for June and August, is not going to be easy. Anjiah and his coterie are beginning to look for an easier way out: an excuse to postpone the panchayat elections that have not been held for a decade.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 21, 2013 11:00 IST--- ENDS ---

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Janata Party posts convincing victory in Andhra Pradesh Assembly by-elections

The Indira wave rolled back and the Janata Party, with some shrewd surfing, coasted to a convincing victory in one of the three by-elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

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