Seemandhra will vote Wednesday to elect its first government after bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, following a vitriolic campaign reflecting the antagonism between chief ministerial aspirants N Chandrababu Naidu and Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

Telugu Desam Party chief Naidu, 65, is banking on his experience as former Andhra chief minister to stage a comeback to power. YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy, 42, is claiming the legacy of former chief minister, his late father Y S R Reddy. He is projecting himself as a young leader likely to be in the arena for another 30 years.

The Congress faces the prospect of a rout in Seemandhra after Telangana was carved out against the wishes of Seemandhra leaders.

When it came to trading insults and barbs, the TDP and YSRCP campaign matched that in the northern states. Jagan, who is promising a return to rule of ?Rajanna? (YSR), and Naidu, who is assuring people of a ?Swarna Andhra? (golden Andhra) accuse each other of fooling people with promises that cannot be fulfilled, an allegation similar to the one that stuck on Arvind Kejriwal?s AAP after he became Delhi CM.

Naidu has accused Jagan of tacitly siding with the Congress in dividing the state and hinted at a Congress hand in his bail in the disproportionate assets case for which he was jailed. Jagan has accused Naidu of not fulfilling promises as chief minister. There have been allegations that money, liquor and gifts flowed freely during the TDP and YSRCP campaigns.

The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches, in a letter to the Christian community, advised them to elect a secular leader. The letter was believed to be in favour of the YSRCP, since the TDP has allied with the BJP.

The TDP hit back with a letter from Bishop Dr Harry Sebastian, head of its Christian Cell. The letter took up Jagan?s stand that at the Centre, he would support a party that has a chance to form government. With the perception that a BJP government was likely at the Centre, this hinted at Jagan supporting the BJP after the polls.

Both parties are wooing the 27-per-cent-strong Kapu community. Naidu has even promised a Kapu deputy CM.

In the nine coastal and four Rayalaseema districts, 25 parliamentary and 175 assembly constituencies will go to polls. As per its seat-sharing arrangement with the TDP, the BJP is contesting four LS seats and 11 assembly seats.