YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched an aggressive campaign under the slogans “Siddham” and “Why not 175?” to secure his party’s hold in Andhra Pradesh, but faced defeat as the electorate chose otherwise.
The YSRCP managed to secure victory in only 11 out of the 175 constituencies contested, with the TDP benefiting from its alliance with the BJP and Janasena. Jagan resigned and acknowledged the defeat during a recent press conference.
The initial decline in Jagan’s popularity began with his decision to relocate the state capital, opposing Chandrababu Naidu’s plan to develop Amaravati. This move triggered protests from local farmers who had lost land for the capital’s construction. Demonstrations, marked by farmers using pesticides cans symbolically, demanded the retention of government institutions in Amaravati.
Since 2019, daily protests across the region underscored widespread local resistance, with farmers, including elderly and women, prominently involved despite obstacles from YSRCP leaders and law enforcement.
Despite Jagan’s administration proposing a three-capital decentralization plan and implementing welfare schemes, these efforts failed to sway voters in the recent elections. The Amaravati farmers’ grievances significantly impacted public perception, contributing to Jagan’s electoral setback.
