With the recent general elections in Andhra Pradesh turning out to be a disappointment for YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders, they are giving different reasons for their loss. Some cited the liquor policy of the state, while others pointed to land reforms. Others said they were misled by the promises of welfare schemes by Chandrababu Naidu. There were even claims of possible manipulation of EVMs. In the midst of all these reactions, former minister and one of the senior leaders of the YSRCP, Ambati Rambabu, expressed the situation quite candidly.
At a large gathering in Anakapalli, Rambabu made a bold statement: “We lost, and we need to accept it.” He went on to explain the party’s expectations and the shocking reality they faced: “We were confident that YSRCP would emerge victorious and Jagan would return as Chief Minister for a second term. But the results were different. We lost, and we must own up to it.”
Rambabu didn’t shy away from the harsh truth of the party’s defeat, saying, “We only managed to win 11 seats, while our opponents claimed 164. We couldn’t make sense of how we ended up with so few. It was baffling. And it seemed that even the winners were puzzled by their overwhelming success.”
He raised questions about the factors that contributed to the loss, stating, “What went wrong? Was it the alliances that strengthened their position? Was there some hidden opposition we were unaware of? Or were other forces at play? These questions linger in our minds. Regardless, the fact remains: we lost.”
Looking ahead, Rambabu emphasized the need for the party to regroup and rebuild. He mentioned, “Jagan Mohan Reddy is now focused on a clear goal: securing 175 Assembly seats and 25 Parliament seats. Our priority is to rebuild and restructure, learning from the past and understanding who stood with us, who left, and who shifted their allegiance.”
In conclusion, Rambabu’s remarks underscored the YSRCP’s commitment to learning from their defeat and starting afresh with a renewed focus on unity and strategy for future success.
