Can anyone say that Jana Sena would emerge as single largest party in the State in the next election, keeping YSR Congress in the second place and the ruling Telugu Desam Party in the third place.

The statement came from CPI-M State secretary P Madhu, who is also a former MP in the undivided Andhra Pradesh. While camping in Tirupati on Thursday, the CPM State secretary said that next election would have triangular contest in the order of Jana Sena, YSR Congress and TDP. “The graph of the TDP had gone down and the Jana Sena had improved,” the CPM leader said.

Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan who planned to contest from Ananthapur had shifted his focus to the most backward Uttanrandhra region. He is currently touring the three districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam. He had completed his tour in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram and is planning his next leg of tour in Visakhapatnam.

He expressed concern over the backwardness of the region and had even cautioned against the region having agitation for separate statehood in future if the neglect continued. This is how he is focusing on this region anticipating more seats from here. There are 35 Assembly seats in these three districts of which Jana Sena is targeting 20 to 25 seats.

The Jana Sena’s presence in Rayalaseema is negligible except in Ananthapur and same is the situation in Nellore and Prakasam districts. Besides the two Godavari districts, the Jana Sena might win a couple of seats in Krishna and Guntur districts.

This being the reality, one wonders how the CPM leader can find a favourable position for Jana Sena in the next election. His prediction of Jana Sena emerging as single largest party also indicates the hung Assembly where either TDP or YSR Congress would have to support Jana Sena, an arrangement worked out in the neighbouring Karnataka in the recent election.