YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday said the wave in favour of Narendra Modi played a role in his party’s defeat in the Seemandhra region, where the TDP-BJP combine was swept to power.
“Narendra Modi factor did play a role and people believed (TDP president) Chandrababu Naidu’s false promises,” he told reporters.
“We will be in the opposition. We will fight for the cause of the people,” he said.
He indicated that the party was eyeing the 2019 elections.
He said that the YSR Congress started its political journey with merely one MP and one MLA after which it enhanced its strength to 20 MLAs and two MPs.
“Today, we have 10 MPs and 70 MLAs. So, in another five years, we are going to come back. This is my message to my cadre.”
He conceded that fielding his mother who is also YSR Congress honorary president Vijayamma, from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat was a wrong move.
“We saw the Narendra Modi wave and it had to be countered. We took a few decisions. A few misfired,” Mr. Reddy said.
Asked if it he is worried about Chandrababu Naidu at the helm in Seemandhra, he said, “It does not make any difference. Sonia Gandhi did whatever she could do. Now, it’s going to start again with Chandrababu Naidu. I believe in God. I believe in destiny.”
He said that he would continue his fight.
