YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party suffered an embarrassing defeat in the recent assembly elections. From winning 151 seats in 2019 and failing to secure the opposition status in 2024 with only 11 seats will go down as one of the biggest downfalls ever for a political party in the history of Indian politics. Though there might be so many reasons for the historic decimation, many leaders of YSRCP felt that they lost because of not staying in contact with the public and also due to the fact that they were unable to promote their welfare schemes effectively.
During 2019-2024, the then CM Jagan Mohan Reddy hardly addressed any press briefings on key issues pertaining to the state. He never interacted with the public during his tours to districts and was mostly confined to his Tadepalli palace on other days. He never spoke about Polavaram project, infrastructure development, companies and other government activities in the last five years.
Quite often, some of the firebrand leaders like Roja, Kodali Nani, Ambati Rambabu, Perni Nani and a few others used to appear before the media and vehemently abuse the opposition parties. But, Jagan never came out to neither openly express what his government was doing.
Even after experiencing such a crushing defeat, Jagan is still unable to rectify his mistakes. He still chooses to stay indoors and allows leaders like Ambati Rambabu to criticize the government policies and decisions.
While Chandrababu Naidu’s government is going all-out in implementing the promises, Jagan Mohan Reddy is nowhere in the scene. Though the ruling party is giving him ample opportunities to attack them, Jagan and his party are falling short to raise objections.
Recently, the office of Deccan Chronicle was attacked by TDP supporters over a news article on Steel Plant. While many condemned the assault, Jagan simply put out a post on his X handle and remained silent. Even when so many supporters of YSRCP were facing retaliatory attacks by TDP cadre, Jagan didn’t come out and stand in support for his cadre.
Chandrababu Naidu is frequently releasing white papers on some of the key issues like Polavaram, Power Dues, Finances etc. He is blaming the YSRCP government for pushing the state into debts.
Jagan Mohan Reddy should have come out and put the facts and figures before the public on what his government did in the last five years. But, he has been maintaining stoic silence on these allegations which make people believe that the state suffered irreparable loss in the last five years.
If Jagan continues the same approach, there is a chance that people of Andhra Pradesh might completely forget him in the coming days. He needs to come out and speak if he wants to survive.