90% Postal Ballot Voting: Vengeance Voting On Cards?
The notable surge in postal ballot applications, particularly from government workers, has prompted questions and conversations in Andhra Pradesh's political circles. Considering that the YSRCP has historically received support from this group, the 5 lakh government employees who are filing for postal votes are posing unforeseen hurdles for the party. A total of 1.5 lakh workers submitted for postal ballots in the 2019 elections, and it's expected that 70% of government workers supported YS jagan because he vowed to abolish the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
But opinions have changed recently due to unhappiness among government workers caused by things like CPS and incorrect estimates for pay increases. Anganwadi staff and government instructors in particular are fiercely opposed to the government's repression. Frustration and anger have been further stoked by the way the YSRCP administration has handled employee issues, including attempts to move them from amaravati to Vizag. Employee unions warned the ec not to trust the government, yet the ec went ahead and assigned government workers to election work.
The YSRCP is concerned about how this would affect the outcome of the postal ballot count. The increase in applications is indicative of the discontent and disappointment among government workers, who see that the YSRCP leadership has not lived up to its promises. Andhra Pradesh's political climate is still volatile as the election draws near since it's unclear how the postal votes will affect the result of the vote.