When YSR Congress party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was in power for five years between 2019 and 2024, he was surrounded by a coterie of leaders in his inner circle.
They used to wield a lot of power both in the party and also in the government.
It was impossible for any party leader to meet Jagan without crossing some of these leaders in the inner circle, while others used to take advantage of their proximity with the boss.
There were allegations that these leaders had made big money using their clout in the Tadepalli bungalow, as they would project themselves closer to Jagan and that he would oblige to whatever they recommended.
Topping the list in the Jagan’s inner circle was Indian Political Action Committee chief executive officer Rishi Raj Singh.
He made a big project to Jagan saying the YSRCP would comfortably return to power for a second successive term, as people would only by Jagan’s schemes and not the reputation – good or bad – of the local MLAs.
And it was Rishi Raj Singh, who was the first person to disappear from the inner circle soon after the YSRCP lost heavily to the TDP-led National Democratic Alliance. He has shifted his base, lock, stock and barrel to Hyderabad.
Second person is party general secretary and MP V Vijay Sai Reddy. This gentleman used to have a lot of clout in the first three years, but as the elections were approaching, he distanced himself from the inner circle.
After Jagan lost power, Sai Reddy, too, has not been seen much in the Tadepalli office, though he still continues to sail with the party.
Similarly, another person who was a close confidant of Jagan when he was in the power was Iragavarapu Avinash alias Trump Avinash.
He was the one who was supposed to obtain ground-level feedback by conducting periodical surveys, besides dealing with national media. He also disappeared after Jagan’s defeat.
So is Raj Kasi Reddy, who handled liquor and money related issues of the party and was in the close group of Jagan. He is also nowhere to be seen how.
Another YSRCP general secretary and former advisor to Jagan Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, who the party leaders accuse of being the biggest culprit in the defeat of the party. He has no option but to stick with the party office but without much activity.
He is allegedly leaking stories to the yellow media on who is meeting Jagan and what is happening in the party.
Others like Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, Y V Subba Reddy, Vidadala Rajini and R K Roja, have made a quiet exit from the inner circle, though Chevireddy and Subba Reddy come to the party office occasionally to keep the boss in good humour.
