Former MP Vijayasai Reddy has once again ignited a political row with a veiled criticism of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leadership. The recent CID interrogation on the Kakinada Port irregularities case has only aggravated the issue, prompting him to level sensational allegations of his estrangement with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over a coterie of individuals in the party.
His remarks did not go unopposed, and he drew critical reactions from YSRCP leaders like Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Gudivada Amarnath, and Ambati Rambabu, who turned down his allegations in totality. However, Vijayasai Reddy continued to stroke the controversy with a provocative tweet, which seemed to bolster his stance.
“In the past, kings lived in grand forts, surrounded by an exclusive inner circle.”. Regardless of how hard the common man suffered, these personal attendants would blind the king with undue praise—’Oh, King! You are great! ‘—and work towards their own gain. This usually resulted in the ruin of both the king and his kingdom. But a prudent king would go out incognito, mingle with the common man, and hear the reality himself. Then only could he unmask the plotters and salvage his rule.
The same holds true in a democracy—if a leader is stuck in a coterie, neither he nor his leadership will survive.
Although he did not name YSRCP or Jagan Mohan Reddy, the timing of his tweet has led to widespread speculation that it was directed at the party’s internal power struggle.
This is not the first time Vijayasai Reddy has hinted at internal conflicts within YSRCP. In earlier remarks, he had asked Jagan to move away from a certain clique of party members who, in his opinion, stood between the leader and the real world. As tensions intensify within the party, his recent comments have only added to the rift, hinting that his distance from YSRCP is increasing.
With the politics of Andhra Pradesh intensifying prior to the 2024 elections, internal conflicts within YSRCP may affect the party’s strategy and leadership. Reddy’s statement brings into question the decision-making process in the party and whether Jagan Mohan Reddy will do anything about complaints regarding his close associates.