Is Jagan planning to float a political party in Telangana?

Balram Singh

Keeping in view that there is mass following to the YSRCP headed by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy particularly in the districts close to the Andhra Pradesh such as Khammam, Kothagudem, Badrachalam, Nalgonda and surrounding of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and also in other parts of Telangana and also has credit of his father late Chief Minister of United Andhra Pradesh Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, Jagan Mohan Reddy has hinted of floating a political party in Telangana.

As part of this plan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has nominated two leaders from the Telangana region to Rajya Sabha. One is R. Krishnaiah, former TDP MLA and most popular BC leader in Telangana. The BCs constitute more than 50 per cent in Telangana.

The other one is Supreme Court advocate S. Niranjan Reddy who is from Nirmal district. With these two leaders Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken a clear stand of expanding his party in Telangana. Now YSRCP is ruling in Andhra Pradesh with thumping majority. 

Even Jagan Mohan Reddy himself is most popular in Telangana, his YSRCP had even one MP seat P. Srinivas Reddy in Khammam and also 3 MLAs seats in Khammam, the nomination of R.Krishnaiah of Telangana to Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh quota will benefit to YSRCP plan to enter in Telangana politics as R.Krishna has mass following of BCs, this is the clear indication that the YSRCP wants to expand it base in Telangana.

Though Jagan Mohan Reddy has planned to enter Telangana, but he has become silent after his sister Y.S. Sharmila announced to form the party in the state to bring back the “Rajanna Rajyam” (YSR Rajyam) in the state and also formed and now is aggressively campaigning and doing padyatra. 

Jagan Mohan Reddy may also give the support to his sister Sharmila. It may be recalled that during the bad days of Jagan Mohan Reddy and he was in jail, Sharmila has done the Padyatra in the then United Andhra Pradesh state which includes Telangana region for months together for getting justice to her brother Jagan Mohan Reddy. 

The relationship between both the Jagan Mohan Reddy and Sharmila has no personal differences. Jagan Mohan Reddy is of the view that it would be prudent that both AP and Telangana governments work in harmony in the larger interests of the people of the two states.

Jagan Mohan Reddy might have felt that it is easy task to run a political party (as his sister Sharmila is concerned) may be in view that leader should be always ready to take many blows. Jagan Mohan Reddy worked hard for 10 long years before people voted him to power with a massive mandate, millions of people have supported him. 

Sharmila too had to work hard.  Sharmila is the dear sister of Jagan Mohan Reddy and there is no doubt that the YSR family is loved by people of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

(Balram Singh is senior correspondent of The Munsif Daily, Hyderabad)