Sajjala’s Amaravati Remarks Put YSRCP in Political Double Trouble

Whether in power or out of power, there has always been a campaign that YSRCP essentially means its leader Jagan Mohan Reddy’s voice is that of Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy. Even when the party was in government, bypassing ministers, it was often he who announced government policy decisions. Though this drew widespread criticism, he continued the same trend, brushing it aside with a “don’t care” attitude. Only before elections did senior leaders like Botsa Satyanarayana get some opportunity to speak. Even after the recent election defeat, it is still mostly Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy’s voice that represents the party. As is well known, whenever Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu or leaders of the ruling party criticize Jagan, it is Sajjala who steps forward to give counters on Jagan’s behalf. Recently, during a meeting held in Vijayawada, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy announced that if Jagan comes back to power in the next elections, governance will continue from Amaravati itself.

This statement has now put the party in what is being described as a political “double trouble.” Due to Sajjala’s declaration, YSRCP leaders fear that the party will suffer losses not only in the Amaravati region but also in the Uttarandhra districts. All along, while in power, the party had embraced the slogan of three capitals, insisting that making Visakhapatnam the administrative capital would ensure development for the backward Uttarandhra region. But suddenly, in an unexpected twist, they are now saying that if Jagan wins again, administration will continue from Amaravati, adding that the existing buildings are sufficient and that there is no need to spend heavily on Amaravati. He further said that if anything more is needed, a few constructions between Vijayawada and Guntur areas would be enough.

However, from the very beginning, everyone knows that the Amaravati capital model proposed by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was different. For that, TDP had mobilized lands from farmers and laid foundations for constructing iconic towers and several new buildings there. But Sajjala’s remarks—that even if Jagan comes back to power, governance will continue from there, yet they are not in favor of new constructions—have now sparked discussions among YSRCP leaders that this stance could politically damage them both in Amaravati and in Uttarandhra. Alongside the ruling TDP, alliance leaders are certain to politically exploit this issue, which has become a source of fear for YSRCP leaders in both regions. Although it is not new for parties and their leaders to change their words, repeatedly shifting stances on the highly sensitive state capital issue now threatens to push the party into politically troublesome situations in both regions. Many YSRCP leaders believe that Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy’s recent comments have indeed landed the party into serious difficulties.