Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is fast losing his role and space in the political dynamics of Andhra Pradesh. Jagan, the president of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is battling to keep his MlAs together since the Assembly elections of the State in May 2014. Surprisingly, last two years have witnessed a significant number of his MlA’s shifting to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Telegu Desam Party (TDP). The YSRCP which had 67 MlAs after the election, is currently reduced to 47. It is learnt that many more of his party colleagues are simply waiting for an invitation from Naidu to desert the parent party. On the other hand, Jagan is working hard to stay politically relevant in post-bifurcation Andhra Pradesh.
He is accusing the TDP for luring his party members by offering huge amount of money and other favours. Worried by the sudden spurt of movements of his MlAs to TDP, he recently lodged a complaint with the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that there has been a gradual crumbling of democracy in Andhra Pradesh as Naidu is trying to break his party by offering bribes to them. What has really happened afterwards, it is not really known to the public.
But now the question is that why the once powerful Reddy clan which was enjoying the full support of the ‘Gandhis from the 10 Janpath’ is facing such a big routIJ Is there a conspiracy by Naidu who is a ‘master player and kingmaker’ to put an end to the dying Reddy’s in Andhra politicsIJ Is Jagan signaling to the BJP to offer an invitation so that he could get rid of the cases for the time beingIJ Is he finally beginning the end of his political careerIJ It seems, with the second coming of Naidu, Jagan will find it too difficult to remain relevant in Andhra politics.
As Naidu is politically well-connected to the NDA at the centre wherein once he was the Convenor of the alliance and played the role of the real ‘kingmaker’, will have always an edge over while dealing with insignificant political players like Jagan for now. It is well known that Jagan’s autocratic style of functioning has forced many of his party members to look for breathing space and TDP provides a way out for the same. Thus, many local experts in Andhra politics feel that time has come for Jagan to wind up his party and quit politics for ever. Will Jagan do the sameIJ Or is there a chance for him to hit back the political scene of Andhra in the next Assembly pollIJ It would be worth seeing how Jagan brings a brand new political ‘Jagaran’ to stay relevant in politics. Else, his political career may come to an end.