Winning the by-election to the Badvel (SC) Assembly constituency is an effortless task for our party. We are only striving hard to ensure a victory by a margin of one lakh votes as announced by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy,” says YSRCP’s chief campaign manager and Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy.
Heading the party’s ‘war room’, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy, known as a master strategist, is leading a strong team of dozen party legislators, including a chunk of Cabinet Ministers.
Mr. Ramachandra Reddy has been in the forefront of the party’s vigorous campaign to retain the backward constituency in the by-election that is necessitated by the demise of party MLA G. Venkatasubbaiah.
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By pitting Venkatasubbaiah’s wife D. Sudha in the fray, the YSRCP is treading the routine ‘sentimental route’.
In an interview to The Hindu on various issues, which included development, voters’ mood and the Opposition’s charges, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy said “the party will win the election hands down.”
On detractors equating the high-decibel campaign to a ‘sense of insecurity’ gripping the ruling party, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy said, “The Opposition is confined to tall talk as our candidate’s victory is a foregone conclusion. Our sincere effort is only to realise the Chief Minister’s dream of ensuring a victory margin of one lakh votes.”
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By chanting the development mantra, he said the party activists would take the Navaratnalu to every doorstep. Striking a local chord, he said every farmer in the constituency knew which government had brought water to the Brahmam Sagar project.
Asked if the absence of the TDP from the fray made any difference, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy said, “The main Opposition opting out of the race has indeed made the task easier for the ruling party.”
However, he brushed aside the BJP-JSP combine as having no impact on the election.
Snubbing the BJP for projecting a “larger than life image of itself,” he wondered if the party could even secure manpower to work as booth agents.
“Our activists are focussed on the goal post. Our efforts will show in the result,” he said.