Jagan hits the roads to trigger political heat in Andhra Pradesh
Amaravati: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visits to various parts of the state have started generating political heat, triggering controversies and showdowns with the coalition government.
Through his visits to meet farmers to hear their problems or console families of party functionaries allegedly murdered by political rivals, Jagan Mohan Reddy is looking to lead YSRCP back into action as the main opposition.
A year after a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Telugu Desam Party-led NDA, Jagan is trying to lift the morale of his party cadres in the face of what his party calls the repression let loose by the coalition government.
By highlighting the problems of farmers and the alleged unfulfilled promises of the coalition, Jagan is trying to show that YSRCP may be down, but certainly not out.
Political observers say that the coalition government’s response by imposing police curbs may work to the advantage of the former Chief Minister, who may try to gain public sympathy.
YSRCP, which was reduced to just 11 seats in the 175-member Assembly in the 2024 elections, has been at the receiving end for a year, with many leaders, including three Rajya Sabha members and Jagan’s close aide Vijayasai Reddy, leaving the party.
With Jagan’s sister Y. S. Sharmila, the president of the state Congress, targeting him, and the legal fight against his mother and sister over family property, the situation could not have been worse for the YSRCP chief.
The visuals of hundreds of supporters welcoming Jagan during his visits to different regions are expected to lift the spirits of the party cadres reeling under last year’s drubbing.
Political analysts point out that after failing to capture power in 2014, Jagan kept YSRCP afloat despite several of his party legislators defecting to the ruling TDP. By taking on the TDP government over its “failures” and after undertaking a marathon 3,648 km padyatra, he led YSRCP to power with a landslide victory in 2019.
Jagan may be looking for a repeat of 2014-19, though the odds are heavy this time with both Jana Sena Party led by Pawan Kalyan and the BJP sharing power with the TDP.
Despite having only 11 members in the Assembly, YSRCP is the only opposition party. While continuing his legal fight to get the status of Leader of Opposition, Jagan has hit the roads to do what he has been successfully doing since floating the party in 2011.
The YSRCP chief is focusing on issues related to farmers. His first visit in February was to meet chilli farmers in the Guntur market yard to highlight their problems, including the denial of remunerative prices and a sharp drop in chilli prices.
In April, he visited Ramagiri in the Sri Sathya Sai district to console family members of a YSRCP leader, who was murdered, allegedly by TDP supporters.
On June 11, Jagan visited Podili in Prakasam district to meet tobacco farmers. He tried to highlight the denial of remunerative prices for tobacco.
A week later, he visited Sattenapalli in Palnadu district to meet the family of the Upa-sarpanch (vice-president) of Rentapalla village, who had committed suicide due to alleged police harassment.
The former CM’s latest visit was on July 9 to Bangarupalem in Chittoor district, the home district of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, to meet mango farmers, who are allegedly not getting the Minimum Support Price.
Jagan’s every visit sparked controversy with the gathering of his supporters in large numbers, leading to a scuffle with the police, resulting in the booking of cases and arrests. The restrictions imposed by police, citing a threat to peace, met with resistance by the YSRCP, which accused the coalition government of suppressing dissent.
The death of a YSRCP supporter after coming under the wheels of Jagan’s vehicle during his visit to Palnadu district triggered a huge row.
Police registered a case against Jagan Mohan Reddy, his car driver, personal assistant, MP Y. V. Subba Reddy and former ministers Perni Nani and Vidadala Rajini for the death of Singaiah.
The incident and subsequent developments led to a war of words between TDP and YSRCP as they blamed each other. TDP alleged that Jagan lacked basic human values as he left the man injured after coming under his vehicle to die. However, YSRCP claimed that it was a conspiracy to create hurdles for their leader’s visit and divert attention from real issues.
The YSRCP chief said during his every visit, police booked cases against farmers and YSRCP leaders and sent them to jail.
He alleged that during the Sattenpalli visit, the state responded with five cases, while notices were issued to 131 people, and two were remanded for displaying a movie poster.
After a visit to Bangarupalem, five cases were booked. Over 20 people are currently in police custody, yet they have not been officially shown as arrested for the past two days, nor have they been produced before the court, he said.
Jagan has accused the government of suppressing dissent with state machinery. “The right to question, protest, and assemble forms the bedrock of democracy, empowering citizens to freely express their grievances and demand accountability. In Andhra Pradesh, however, this fundamental democratic process is being ruthlessly crushed under the weight of an authoritarian regime led by Chandrababu Naidu. Through blatant misuse of police power, it stifles dissent and creates a chilling atmosphere akin to a police state or dictatorship,” the YSRCP chief said in a social media post.
“Every attempt by the public or opposition to raise legitimate concerns is met with repression, harassment, and fabricated legal cases, leaving no room for dissent. This deliberate assault on democratic freedom is an attack on the very essence of democracy in the state. The intent is clear: to obscure the systematic suppression of the opposition, the public, and democratic processes,” said the former Chief Minister.
The TDP leaders have been accusing Jagan of provoking farmers and deliberately creating problems, including the law and order situation, through his visit.
“During his visit to Bangarupalem, a YSRCP leader used five tractors to dump mangoes on the road to create a false image that farmers are throwing their produce on not getting remunerative prices,” said Agriculture Minister K. Atchen Naidu.
The YSRCP chief is likely to undertake more visits in the coming days, which will only add to the political heat.
