Pandalaneni Sivaprasad. Katari Jagadish. Anantha Lakshmi. Syed Anwar. Challa Eswari. These not-so familiar names are going to get a lot of spotlight. They are the working class people who have been named the star campaigners by the Jagan Reddy Mohan party for the elections, possibly a first anywhere.

“Amid a popular trend of enlisting film stars, celebrities, and influencers as star campaigners for political parties, the YSRCP has chosen an extraordinary path. A path that has not been attempted anywhere in the country before. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP President Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to make the common people of Andhra Pradesh his ‘Star Campaigners’ in the upcoming elections, marking a historic first in the country,” said the party in a statement.

The party has submitted a list of “12 commoners” to the Election Commission, designating them as YSRCP’s official ‘Star Campaigners’ for the upcoming polls, adding that they will represent the nearly five crore people of the state.

“It is the YSRCP’s belief that every person of the state is their ‘Star Campaigner.’ These individuals, hailing from humble backgrounds, will campaign for the party on ground and help propagate Jagan Mohan Reddy’s message till the last mile,” the party said, aiming to score a second term.

Out of the 12 star campaigners, 4 are homemakers, 2 are farmers, 1 is an auto driver, 1 a tailor, and 4 are former government volunteers.

Earlier while campaigning, Jagan Reddy called the common people his star campaigners and asked them to go to every house and highlight the good things done by his government.

The state will go to polls on May 13 for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats. The votes will be counted on June 4.

A look at some of the star campaigners:

Pandalaneni Sivaprasad, from Avanigadda constituency, comes from a family of farmers.

Katari Jagadish, from Anakapalli constituency, runs a small roadside shop sewing seat covers for two-wheelers.

Anantha Lakshmi, representing Rajahmundry City Constituency, works at a clothing shop.

Syed Anwar, Nellore Rural, Nellore District, works as a government teacher.

Challa Eswari, from Mylavaram Constituency, works as a YSRCP government volunteer.

Pandalaneni Sivaprasad, from Avanigadda constituency, comes from a family of farmers.

Anakapalli:

YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday took potshots at his arch rival N Chandrababu Naidu, saying that it was “losing villains” who call all heroes ‘kids’.

The YSRCP chief made these remarks at a public meeting in Anakapalli town, located in the eponymous district during his ‘Memanta Siddham’ (we are all ready) election campaign bus tour.

“If I am a ‘bacha’, who are you Chandrababu? You have lost badly in the previous elections by securing only 23 seats (Assembly). If I am a child, I should ask why couldn’t you do any development for the state or its people when you were chief minister for three terms,” said Mr Reddy.

Meanwhile, the CM noted that the opposition parties are getting scared after seeing many people turning up to his election canvassing meetings and alleged that they are instigating people to hit him with stones.

Further, Mr Reddy observed that he is alone while his opposition alliance of NDA partners, BJP, TDP and Janasena, along with Congress are “supported by select regional media houses”.

Recounting several welfare measures of the YSRCP government, Mr Reddy asserted that his government has deposited Rs 2.7 lakh crore into the accounts of women beneficiaries.

On the 19th day of his bus tour, Mr Reddy traversed through Nakkapalli, Pulaparthi, Yalamanchili, Chintapalem, Kasimkota, Anakapalli and other villages. He concluded the day and reached his night halt point at Chinnayapalem.

Mr Reddy has embarked on a 21-day election campaign bus tour from Idupulupaya in Kadapa district to Icchapuram in Srikakulam district.

Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on May 13 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)