For voters, assembly polls take primacy in Hyderabad

By M H Ahssan

Ashok Kumar (name changed) was sounded off for the Secunderabad Lok Sabha by the Prajarajyam. But he declined the offer and instead switched over to another constituency. Reason: He felt that his party was not strong in the assembly segments in Secunderabad. “It would be difficult for me to win from here, even though I may have been a strong candidate. Our electorate is not so mature. They cast their vote for the Lok Sabha for the same party as they do for the assembly,” Kumar told HNN. Ashok Kumar’s opinion was echoed by many other Lok Sabha candidates in the state.
“I know that ultimately my fate depends on the performance of candidates for assembly seats that form part of my Lok Sabha constituency. Therefore, I need to keep them energised,” said a Congress candidate who does not want to be identified.

Political analysts say that this time in Andhra Pradesh, more than ever before, the electorate is unlikely to make a distinction between the assembly and the Lok Sabha elections.

HNN check at the ground level reflected this reality. For example in Tirupati, a manager when asked about the prospects of candidates for the Tirupati Lok Sabha seat was nonplussed.

“Chiranjeevi,” he muttered and had to be reminded that the query was about the Lok Sabha and not about the assembly seat that the mega star is contesting. In the same way when Raju, a waiter at a hotel in Medak quizzed about the polls named - very confidently -the assembly candidate who he thought would win. But remained confused when pressed to reply about his favourite for the Lok Sabha. “I do not know,” he said as if he was not even aware that poll for the Parliament was being held.

Analysts said that this reality of the assembly poll being supreme is the reason for two Union ministers, Renuka Chowdhary and Pallam Raju, moving heaven and earth to change some candidates who had been named to contest assembly segments that formed part of their Lok Sabha constituencies. “The duo understood that with weak or inimical candidates their chances would be marred. Hence their extreme reactions,” an analyst said.

The reasons for the electorate not making a distinction between an assembly vote and a Lok Sabha vote is deeply sociological and a reflection of the way they see the polity. “India is a huge country and each state has an ethos of its own. Each state is also self-contained. This is true of politics as well. Most people do not look beyond Hyderabad. New Delhi is a far off place,” explained an analyst. The reality is also portrayed by the regional press whose front page mostly covers the state of affairs pertaining to Andhra Pradesh.

“Decisions taken by the state government impact the people directly. Centre’s decisions are perceived not to have an indirect effect. That is why the greater interest in assembly elections,” reasons an IAS officer.

The Parliament elections would come into focus, if there is a strong national issue that becomes central to the elections like, say, national integrity.

But this time around there is nothing of this sort, leading to the Lok Sabha poll getting relegated to the background.

On the contrary, the assembly elections have become more interesting what with the expectations of a three way fight.