One political party that is keenly observing the Huzurabad bypoll result is YSRCP in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The reason? The party feels that even schemes like Dalit Bandhu and the host of pensions could not save the ruling party. Despite all these, the ruling TRS lost to the BjP., which did not promise anything.

Schemes like Rythu Bandhu and welfare pensions were implemented in a very methodical manner in Telangana. The TRS government has brought in Dalit Bandhu specifically for the Huzurabad bypoll. It was formally introduced in Vasalamarri village and then in Huzurabad. The beneficiaries were identified and the Dalit Bandhu amounts were deposited into the savings bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Despite this, the TRS lost the elections by a very convincing margin.

Since he took over reins of power, YS Jagan too is implementing a slew of welfare schemes. He is ensuring that the benefits reach the target population. Not just that. He has stopped all the developmental schemes to run the welfare schemes. The government is borrowing heavily to implement the scheme. He has even set up a system of village volunteers to ensure that the delivery mechanism is fool-proof. Now after the Huzurabad verdict, the YSRCP thinking heads were worried whether all their welfare schemes will come to naught by 2024 elections.

There is a rethink in the YSRCP inner core as to whether all these schemes were useful. One group is said to be arguing that the party has immensely helped the YSRCP in Tirupati, Dubbak bypolls and the local body elections. They feel that these schemes would continue to help the party. But another strong section feels that people’s connect is more important and all these schemes are excluding the elected MLAs from the implementing mechanism. Will this prove counterproductive in the long run, they ask. Insiders say, Huzurabad verdict is a lesson for all the parties tht purely depend on welfare schemes to win elections.