From across the Vindhyas

KV Prasad in New Delhi

Barring Kerala, the electoral landscape across the Vindhyas is a battle between regional parties and their leaders with the two national parties — the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress — hitching on to the regional outfits bandwagon in some states or being a marginal player in others. In Andhra Pradesh, the ruling Telugu Desam Party faces anti-incumbency that can cast a shadow in the Assembly elections being held along with those to the Lok Sabha. For the first time, the state will vote separately after bifurcation in 2014. After its alliance with the Congress in the neighbouring Telengana last December came a cropper, the TDP is going alone in the hope that Pawan Kalayan’s nascent Janasena Party does not play the spoiler in the face of stiff challenge mounted by the Yuvajana Sramika Ryuthu Congress Party led by Jagan Reddy, son of former Congress CM YS Rajasekhar Reddy. Young Jagan’s padayatra has stirred the political pot in Andhra Pradesh. The BJP is in contest, but has little presence to make a major impact.

After recording a three-fourth majority in the Assembly elections barely four months ago, the Telengana Rashtra Samiti is way ahead in the state with the TDP and the Congress still licking their wounds after being severely mauled in those elections. The BJP and the AIMIM can hope to retain its presence in the outgoing House.

With both the regional Dravidian parties — the AIADMK and the DMK — stitching up formidable alliances with other regional outfits, big and small. The BJP is aligned with the former while the Congress with the DMK. This will be the first time both Dravidian parties will contest without the towering presence of its leaders J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, respectively. The challenge for better established MK Stalin is to lead the charge for the DMK-led Front against the ruling AIADMK, currently under the dual leadership of Chief Minsiter K Palaniswami and his deputy O Paaneerselvam with the ‘blessings’ of the BJP. Karnataka, the only state in south India where the BJP is strong, the party is keen to avenge the snub by the regional Janata Dal (Secular) that allied with the Congress to deny BS Yeddyurappa another shot at government formation last May. Amid reports of differences, the Congress and the JD(S) arrived at a settlement with the Congress contesting 20 seats and rest for the partner.

Kerala, the most-literate state in the country, is also politically very conscious with a small swing in vote sharing altering the poll fortunes of contestants. Traditionally, the voters alternate between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front both during the Assembly and the Lok Sabha. The LDF is in government. In the current Lok Sabha, the BJP technically has a member from the state in Richard Hay (Nominated) and it hopes to open an account in the new Lok Sabha through its former state chief Kummanam Rajasekaran, who resigned as Mizoram Governor and is contesting from Thiruvananthapuram, a seat held by Shashi Tharoor. The BJP optimism is after it struck maiden success in May 2016 Assembly elections when former Union Minister O  Rajagopal won Nemom constituency that is part of the Thiruvananthapuram district.

Andhra Pradesh (25)

Essentially a contest between two regional parties — Telugu Desam and Yuvjana Sramika Ryuthu Congress party formed by son of former Andhra and Congress CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy. Popular filmstar Janasena Party is expected to be the spoiler for the TDP. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress — are overshadowed.

Telengana (17)

The ruling Telengana Rashtra Samiti is the leader with a tie-up with the All-India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). The TDP and the Congress are struggling to make their presence felt while the BJP hopes to continue its flag flying.

Tamil Nadu (39) & Puducherry (1)

A keen tussle is on with the ruling AIADMK-led Front having eight parties, including the BJP, while the opposition  DMK-led Front has nine constituents, including the Congress. The UT of Puducherry goes to poll with the state.

Karnataka (28)

The battle from this state the BJP breached across the Vindhyas remains interesting with the ruling Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition seeking to thwart the onward march of the BJP just as it stumped the latter in the Assembly polls last May.

Kerala(20)

In this largely bi-polar politically conscious state, the ruling CPI (M)-led Left Front is bracing to face a tough battle from the opposition Congress-Led United Democratic Front. The BJP, tied up with the local Bharat Dharam Jana Sena and Kerala Congress (Thomas), hopes to wrest the Thiruvananthapuram seat.