Three days ago former Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal had met Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati. It was not first time that the two leaders met in the last four years and may not be the last before the next round of elections. Though Lagadapati is keeping himself away from active politics, it is said that he is planning to return to the active politics before the next elections.
Though he had quit the active politics after his failure to stop the State bifurcation, he continues to be active in his popular election surveys. His surveys are said to be more accurate and is known as Andhra Octopus. There have been many election surveys circulating in the social media claiming to be the survey of Lagadapati. Everyone takes a look at the survey if it is tagged as Lagadapati’s survey.
On his last week’s visit to Amaravati, Lagadapati had reportedly handed over a detailed note on his latest survey. It is said that the former MP had also given a pack of sweets predicting the Telugu Desam Party’s victory in the next election too. The survey had reportedly given 130 seats to the TDP in the next election, which had placed the TDP in comfortable position, which Chandrababu Naidu himself did not expect. As Lagadapati’s surveys are accurate and trusted by many, Chandrababu Naidu had reportedly expressed his joy on seeing the survey data.
The TDP chief had also reportedly told some of the Ministers and legislators from Guntur district that the survey was surprising and comfortable. While it is too early to make any guessing on the next elections, the survey is keeping the ruling TDP leaders relax and make political moves accordingly.
Keeping the surveys aside, it is not going to be easy for the former Congress leaders to win on TDP ticket next time. In 2014, Congress leaders like Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and J C Diwakar Reddy won because of the transfer of the Congress votes to the TDP in anger against their own party for bifurcating the State. However, this time, the Congress voter may not prefer the TDP as that anger is not there and the Congress vote might stay back with the Congress or might slide towards the YSR Congress.
