YSR Congress Party general secretary and former advisor (public affairs) to the Andhra Pradesh government, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, has come under attack from party leaders across the state following the party's humiliating defeat in the recent assembly elections.
Since the election results were announced, party president and former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has received complaints from various party members, accusing Sajjala of being responsible for poor advice regarding candidate selection and providing inaccurate feedback about the public sentiment.
Jagan has apparently realized his mistake in overly encouraging Sajjala but is now in a difficult position. He cannot simply remove Sajjala, as he is a senior member who has been loyal to the party since its inception.
Interestingly, according to party sources, Sajjala still believes he holds the second-in-command position within the party. He is present at every meeting held by Jagan at Tadepalli, giving the impression that he continues to wield significant influence.
Sources say that Sajjala recently asked Jagan to promote him to a higher position within the party, arguing that there are already several general secretaries and that his advisory role no longer exists.
Sajjala reportedly suggested that Jagan create a new post, such as secretary general or senior general secretary, with authority over the other general secretaries, to give him more prominence.
However, Jagan politely declined Sajjala's request, saying, “I don’t want to disturb the current setup. Continue doing what you’ve been doing and work towards reviving the party.”
Sajjala, realizing he has no other option, must follow the leader’s directives. Even if Jagan sidelines him, Sajjala has nowhere else to go and must remain with the party, accepting whatever responsibilities are assigned to him.
