YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy seems to be in a state of confusion regarding his party's stance in national politics.
It is well known that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is now in power in Andhra Pradesh.
The BJP took a clear stand against the YSRCP in the recent assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state by aligning with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party.
The BJP central leadership extended all possible help to the TDP in winning the elections by transferring IAS and IPS officers loyal to the YSRCP. In fact, Jagan suspects that the BJP helped the TDP manipulate the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Given this background, one would expect Jagan to strongly oppose the BJP. However, he cannot join the INDIA bloc led by the Congress party because he believes the Congress played a significant role in sabotaging his political career in its early days and sending him to jail.
Therefore, the best option available for Jagan is to remain neutral, at least for the time being. He has stated that he would take a stand on national issues based on their importance, considering the interests of both the state and the nation.
However, the YSRCP's decision to support the NDA in the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker has surprised political observers. There were reports that his party MPs would vote for INDIA bloc candidate K. Suresh in the Lok Sabha elections, but ultimately, Jagan instructed them to back NDA candidate Om Birla.
Analysts argue that this move by Jagan is a self-goal. “How can his party vote for the candidate fielded by the NDA, of which the TDP is a partner, both in the state and the center? This is not an issue of national or state interest. He wouldn’t have lost anything if his party MPs abstained from voting,” a senior analyst said.
Perhaps, Jagan is wary of taking a negative stand against the NDA, as it would mean confronting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, considering the various issues and cases connected with it.
“He might have thought he, too, would benefit politically after five years if he maintains a friendship with Modi, just like Naidu, who made every effort to return to the NDA fold, which helped him gain significant mileage in the elections,” the analyst said.
However, it is too early for Jagan to predict what will happen in five years, as Modi's popularity might decline further by then, and Naidu himself might face the heat of anti-incumbency against Modi.
“Jagan should move his pawns cleverly, rather than making hasty decisions. He can still achieve his goals by remaining neutral,” the analyst added.
