As the first phase of the assembly polls is drawing closer for Andhra Pradesh, the ruling party, i.e. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has received a major setback when the performance of the incumbent Chandrababu Naidu was rated below average across the state according to the survey conducted by the Association for the Democratic Reforms (ADR).
According to the survey, the main priorities that the people of these constituencies reported were, ‘better employment opportunities’, ‘safe drinking water’, and, better hospitals or primary healthcare centers’.
In a recent rally, Chandrababu Naidu promised the making of the Polavalam project and ensuring the development of the state if he is voted to power. He made his remarks clear about what the state would look like if any other party, especially the Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party (JSP) is turned into power. He alleged the party to be receiving funds from the BJP for its election campaigning.
The TDP contested the previous state elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The ADR survey highlights the Andhra Pradesh voter’s priority in forming the government and how has the ruling party performed throughout the years resulting in the disappointment of the voters of the state.
The ADR survey covered approximately 12,500 respondents across the 25 parliamentary constituencies of the state. The listed performances of the government were rated as ‘good’, ‘average’, or ‘bad’, which received numbers equal to 5, 3, and 1 respectively.
The issues were divided respectively on the basis of the population living in the rural and the urban areas of the region in Andhra Pradesh.
For the people residing in the rural areas, the most important issue for 48 % of them was the “availability of water for agriculture”, which received a “below average” rate from the respondents.
The next important issue for rural area people was the “agriculture subsidy for seeds/ fertilizers” to which 46 % people claimed as important. The party was again given a “below average” status for the issue.
The third important issue that contributed to 44% of the validity for people, “electricity for agriculture” was also termed “below average” for the work done by the government for its betterment.
For the people residing in the urban areas of the state listed “better employment opportunities” as the foremost problem faced by almost 58% vowing for it. Another issue faced by 55% of the urban population was the availability of “safe drinking water” and the third one was “water and air pollution”. To all the above problems, the Government was rated “below average” by the people.
With the general elections around the corner, this survey might influence the Andhra Pradesh voters to politically incline their votes to a party other than TDP with the “below average” performance.
Andhra Pradesh will go for Lok Sabha elections in the first phase on April 11. The results will be announced on May 23.