Overcoming the immense odds in a triangular electoral battle, the Congress party retained its power in its southern bastion of Andhra Pradesh. Not only the party swept the Lok Sabha elections by winning 33 of the 42 seats but it has also come back to power with a simple majority for the second consecutive term. Congress led by Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, in fact bettered its 2004 performance when it had bagged only 29 Lok Sabha seats. In the process YSR also created history by becoming the first Congress Chief Minister to lead the party back to power for second consecutive term. The Telugu Desam led Grand Alliance on the other hand was badly decimated as it could win only 8 Lok Sabha seats and 124 assembly seats. In a shocking blow to the TRS, which was part of Grand Alliance, the party president K Chandrasekhara Rao was-elected from Mahbubnagar by 19000 votes. The party could win only two Lok Sabha seats. The CPI and the CPIM which were also Grand Alliance partners drew a blank in the Lok Sabha elections and could manage to win only four Assembly seats. Union Minister Renuka Chaudhary was defeated in Khammam Lok Sabha Constituency. She lost to N Nageshwara Rao of TDP with a margin of 120, 000 votes. Asaddudin Owaisi of Mim won Hyderabad seat with a margin of 110, 000 votes. Praja Rajyam Party of film star Chiranjeevi was also wiped out and the Mega star himself lost in Palacole constituency in his home district of West Godavari. Bangaru UIsha Rani of Congress defeated him with a margin of 5000 votes. He however won from Tirupati. PRP, which was expected to play a spoiler performed worst than expected as it could win only seven assembly seats. Another senior PRP leader T Devender Goud lost from both Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency and Ibrahimpatanam assembly constituency. BJP put up a surprisingly good performance by winning two assembly seats. But its slate remained blank in Lok Sabha elections. It won the assembly seats of Amberpet in Hyderabad and Nizamabad Urban. The ministers who lost include Mohammed Ali Shabbir (Kamareddy), Mohammed Fareeduddin (Amberpet), T Jeevan Reddy (Jagtiyal), Ratnakar Rao (Koratla) Konatala Ramakrishna (Anakapally), R Chenga Reddy (Nagari), Mandal Buddh Prasad (Avanigadda), G Chinna Reddy (Wanaparthy) Minister for major irrigation Ponnala Lakshmaiah could retain his Jangam assembly seat with a narrow margin of only 44 votes. The ministers who won include J C Diwakar Reddy (Tadipatri) and Dharmana Prasad Rao (Srikakulam). The Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who won from Pulivendula with an impressive margin of 69000 votes, was confined with his aides and advisors at his official residence analysing the results and trends and watching the unfolding scenario. “YSR is very much happy that the people have rewarded hard work and the Congress party will be forming the government on its own”, said Raghuveera Reddy, minister for agriculture. Till noon only a handful of party workers had gathered at CM's residence bursting crackers and shouting slogans in praise of Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and YSR.
