In Jagan-Sharmila tussle, mother Vijayamma takes daughter's side

Y S Vijayamma, mother of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, on Friday quit as honorary president of his YSRCP to involve herself in the activities of her daughter Y S Sharmila's YSRTP in Telangana.

Vijayamma, former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's widow, announced her resignation from the party's plenary at Mangalagiri near Vijayawada on YSR's 73rd birth anniversary.

Sharing the dais with Jagan, Vijayamma said she intended to support Sharmila, who had parted ways with her elder brother last year.

A year ago on the same day, Sharmila launched her political party YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) in Telangana, named after her father. Vijayamma was made the honorary president of YSRTP too.

"She is on an ontari poraatam (waging a lonely battle) in Telangana. She needs my support as YSR's wife, her mother. Sharmila is also my blood, I cannot be with my son (who is in power) and do injustice to her (when she is facing testing times)," an emotional Vijayamma said in her farewell note to the party cadres and leaders.

Sharmila is on her Praja-Prasthanam Padayatra (foot-march), an effort to connect with the people of all the 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana before the state elections next year. Though YSRTP created a lot of buzz, she could not attract any major Telangana political leader so far.

"As a mother, I strive for good prospects of both of my children. You elected Jagan-babu with a resounding majority and with his welfare-centric rule, he will retain power in Andhra Pradesh. Sharmila is on a challenging undertaking in Telangana, fighting to reestablish Rajanna-Rajyam (YSR's welfare governance)," Vijayamma said while requesting the party to relieve her.

"I never imagined that such a situation would ever arise. Maybe it is God's will."

Vijayamma maintained that their "family relations are very strong," and Sharmila chose to venture in Telangana "to avoid any issue or inconvenience to her elder brother in Andhra Pradesh."

Sharmila had played a major role in taking YSRCP to the people with her Maro-Prajaprasthanam foot-march in 2012-13, when Jagan was in jail for over a year in the Disproportionate Assets cases. Sharmila also campaigned extensively during the 2019 assembly and general elections, helping Jagan become the Chief Minister with astounding majority.

However, she was not given any post or responsibility in the party or the government, which many believe may have caused a rift between the siblings. Neither interacted with the other Friday morning, while paying respects to their father YSR's grave in Idupulapaya in Kadapa district.

Vijayamma's decision to quit, sources said, was an amicable solution arrived within the family, a day ahead of YSR's jayanthi.

Vijayamma, had served as the MLA of the family's home constituency Pulivendula following YSR demise in the chopper crash of September 2009. In 2014, she lost contesting the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat.

Addressing the plenary, YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy thanked the public, his party supporters, “the family his father left back” for their unflinching faith in him.