The conspicuous silence of Rajya Sabha member Vijayasai Reddy after polling day surprised everyone, particularly TDP cadre. A person, who is hyper active on social media and very quick in giving retorts to political opponents, has not heard since then.
There was no comment from him on the polling trend and predictions on poll results. He was also silent against several post-poll violent incidents. Though people like Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy are blaming Election Commission for such violent incidents, he is not responding.
He was silent even when the ECI took the extraordinary step of summoning the Chief Secretary and DGP to Delhi and taking orders against several IPS officers. Only a few days ahead of polling he commented that EC is supporting TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, but expressed confidence Naidu’s tricks will not yield results.
He was once considered as No 2 in the ruling party. As co-accused in all cases of CBI and ED, in which Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy remains as No 1 accused, he used to be the main advisor in all decision making. He also used to be Jagan’s man in Delhi, who cultivated extraordinary lobbying and can directly go to the Prime Minister’s Office.
However, after the formation of YCP government and growing the cloud of YS Bharati’s people in the party and also government, he was practically sidelined. Some time he was pushed away to Visakhapatnam and later assigned some other works. It is learnt that he was `forced’ to contest from Nellore Lok Sabha seat, though many found it would be difficult to face TDP’s Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy.
According to speculations spread viral among YCP circles that he has realized his defeat in Nellore and also not sure of YCP return to power in the state. Moreover, he is reportedly suspecting that he was forced to contest from Nellore only to sideline him politically after the polls expecting he is sure to be defeated from there. During the election campaign only he expressed the desire of becoming Governor of a state, more than MP again.
The Relationship gap with the Chief Minister widened last year after he had allegedly refused to blame TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu during the death of Nandamuri Taraka Ratna. Moreover, he praised the care taken by both Naidu and Nandamuri Bala Krishna. Since then, the trust gap is said to be widening.