Andhra Pradesh Assembly Polls: Triangular Election To Determine Jagan's Future As CM Set For This Date

An alliance comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Pawan Kalyan’s Janasena will be contesting both Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls in tandem.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (L) and former Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu (R)

As Andhra Pradesh braces itself for a three-cornered election, the Election Commission of India has unveiled the schedule for the much-anticipated Assembly Elections 2024. According to the ECI, the Andhra Pradesh Election is set to take place on May 13 in a single phase.

Overall, the state has 175 Assembly seats. According to ECI,

• Issue of notification: April 18, 2024
• Last Date for filing nominations: April 25, 2024
• Scrutiny of nominations: April 26, 2024
• Last date for withdrawal of candidature: April 29, 2024
• Date of polling: May 13, 2024

Alliance To Seat-Sharing: Andhra Pradesh Assembly Election 2024

In a significant turn of events, this year witnesses a formidable alliance comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena contesting both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in tandem. Notably, the collaboration marks a departure from the past, where Jana Sena stood as an external ally during the 2014 elections when TDP and BJP joined forces.

Under the seat-sharing arrangement inked for 2024, the BJP will vie for six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats, while the TDP is slated to contest 17 parliamentary and 144 state seats. Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena has secured two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats as part of the coalition pact.

Contrastingly, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, spearheading the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), has declared his intention to contest alone emphasising the reliance on grassroots support over political alliances. The YSRCP chief affirmed the party's self-reliance banking on the appeal of 'star' campaigners hailing from underprivileged backgrounds.

Amidst the electoral fervor, the political landscape in Andhra Pradesh also witnessed intriguing developments. YS Sharmila, sister of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, made waves by announcing the merger of YSR Telangana Party with the Congress. In a separate development, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's arrest in connection with the multi-crore skill development corporation scam case and release from Rajamahendravaram Central Jail on health grounds after a prolonged stint of 53 days in custody made headlines.