AP will see teachers and graduates voting to elect three graduate and two teacher MLCs on March 13, spread over nine undivided districts of the state.
General elections are just 13 months away, and the state is witnessing elections to the MLC seats, which cover half of the state in terms of area.
The results of these elections, to some extent, reflect the mood of the educated and elite voters of the state, though the mass voters outnumber them.
Winning these elections would keep the mood upbeat for the next 13 months and could help in molding the masses, as is believed.
Hence, these elections are a litmus test for both the ruling YSR Congress and the opposition TDP.
There is a strong feeling, at least in the media, that teachers and educated people are turning against the government.
The teachers have been vocal in holding protests and criticizing the state government on issues like facial attendance, salary payments, and others.
It is said that the educated and elite are also against the government for not developing the state. They are said to be unhappy with the distribution of money to the people without creating wealth.
In this backdrop, the election of these five MLCs has become very important for the political parties.
The opposition TDP is leaving no stone unturned to win these seats, while the Left-sponsored teachers unions are going strong.
The question now is what the ruling YSR Congress is doing to win these five seats, or at least the three graduate seats.
Who is coordinating the electioneering and who is responsible for the party's role is not specifically assigned.
There is no designated leader who would monitor the electioneering for the ruling party in all three graduate constituencies, if not the two teachers' constituencies.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had said that the party should win all five seats with its own teachers union working for both the teachers and graduates MLC seats.
However, as of now, there is no sign of any mechanism created or any leader assigned for the task.
The biggest question now is whether the chief minister is aware of this ground reality or whether he is being misled.
