This is an archive article published on March 3, 2024
To halt TDP-Jana Sena alliance, Jagan to field trusted aide from Nellore in Lok Sabha polls
Vijayasai Reddy, now a Rajya Sabha MP has been close to the YSR family since the 1980s and is one of the party’s regional coordinators.
Written by Sreenivas Janyala
Hyderabad | Updated: March 5, 2024 08:53 AM IST
3 min read
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Senior YSRCP leader V Vijayasai Reddy (L) with Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy. (Photo: Vijayasai Reddy/ X)
In the wake of the desertions of its leadersand a bid to counter the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-Jana Sena Party (JSP) combine, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has decided to field its national general secretary V Vijayasai Reddyfrom the Nellore Lok Sabha seat. The party made its intention clear by appointing Vijayasai Reddy its Nellore constituency in-charge on Saturday.
Party insiders said the TDP-JSP alliance, coupled with anti-incumbency, was in a position to wean away a major chunk of the YSRCP’s votes. “Party president (and Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy) has asked me to contest (from Nellore Lok Sabha seat). We have to counter the influence and propaganda of the TDP and JSP,” Vijayasai Reddy told The Indian Express.
I wholeheartedly thank the Hon'ble CM and President of YSRCP Sri @ysjagan garu for appointing me as the coordinator for the Nellore Loksabha Parliamentary Constituency. I will give my best for the party as always and take this new responsibility with utmost commitment and…
Vijayasai Reddy is likely to face his former party and Rajya Sabha colleague V Prabhakar Reddy who is now in the TDP. The Nellore seat has seven Assembly constituencies under it while Nellore district has 10 Assembly segments in total. In 2019, the YSRCP swept the district, winning all the seats. However, sources said the party now senses anti-incumbency in many of these constituencies and hence it was decided to replace sitting MP A Prabhakara Reddy as his chances of victory seem slim.
Meanwhile, Vijayasai Reddy exuded confidence that the YSRCP would trounce the TDP-JSP combine. “Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan are waiting for the BJP to join them but I am not sure if that will happen. The results (of the simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha polls) will show that they are just spreading propaganda.
A former chartered accountant with a flourishing career, Vijayasai Reddy (66) is a sitting Rajya Sabha MP and the Parliamentary Party leader of the YSRCP. Known to be close to the YSR family since the 1980s, he has twice served as a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board. He was recently appointed the party’s regional coordinator for Bapatla, Nellore, Prakasam and Narasaraopet.
On the other hand, the YSRCP postponed the fourth and final leg of its “Siddham (ready for elections)” meeting, which was scheduled to be held on Sunday in Addanki in Bapatla district. Sources said the meeting would now be held on March 10 as the party feels elections may be announced anytime between March 13 and 15. Vijayasai Reddy said lakhs of people were expected to attend the meeting.
Vijayasai Reddy’s appointment comes in the backdrop of five party MPs quitting in the recent past, reportedly over being asked to switch seats. Over the past two weeks, the YSRCP has seen the exit of Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu (Narasaraopet), Vallabhaneni Balashowry (Machilipatnam), K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju(Narasapuram), Sanjeev Kumar (Kurnool) and V Prabhakar Reddy (Rajya Sabha MP).
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
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