When YSR Congress party president and former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was in power until recently, he was surrounded by several outspoken leaders who vehemently criticized the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders.
Leaders like Kodali Nani, Perni Nani, Vallabhaneni Vamsi, Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy, R K Roja, Anil Kumar Yadav, and Gudivada Amarnath frequently targeted TDP leaders, including party president N Chandrababu Naidu, general secretary Nara Lokesh, and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan.
They did not hesitate to use strong language against the TDP leaders. Jagan seemed to enjoy these YSRCP leaders' aggressive stance against the TDP, feeling secure with their support.
However, now that they have lost the elections, most of them have gone silent. The YSRCP is left with just 11 MLAs, including Jagan. Except for Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, there is hardly anyone who can challenge the TDP leaders.
While leaders like Gudivada Amarnath and Ambati Rambabu are occasionally vocal, others have not been active in launching attacks against the TDP.
Vallabhaneni Vamsi is nowhere to be seen, and reports suggest he might settle in the US, staying away from politics.
Kodali Nani has indicated to Jagan that 2024 would be his last election and he would not actively participate in party activities.
Perni Nani has also made a similar decision and is promoting his son. Roja has become subdued and is maintaining a low profile.
Nellore leaders like Prasanna Kumar Reddy and Anil Kumar Yadav are also not speaking much and are not actively participating in party programs.
Jagan desperately needs the support of such leaders. He wants them to play an active role in party activities and aggressively challenge the TDP leaders, instead of retiring from politics.
He is reportedly requesting them to regularly visit the party office, speak on their favorite subjects, and criticize the Naidu government for its failures.
“Apparently, Jagan feels a void around him and needs strong leaders who can raise their voices, as people like Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy are not mass leaders,” sources said.
