YSR Congress Party is not the personal property of YS Jaganmohan Reddy - it belongs to the millions who admire and support it.
Despite its crushing defeat, leaving it with just 11 Assembly and four Lok Sabha seats, it still commands a 40% vote share.
In politics, victories and defeats are inevitable. What matters is how a leader responds to setbacks. Jagan, despite his determination to reclaim power, must recognize that mere intent is not enough - introspection and a strategic overhaul are crucial.
Founded in 2011 at YSR’s Samadhi in Idupulapaya, YSRCP was Jagan’s response to his father’s sudden demise and his fallout with the Congress.
At that time, the Congress was in power both at the state and central levels. Yet, YSRCP quickly became a formidable force, unnerving both Congress and TDP.
In retaliation, Jagan was targeted through corruption cases, arrested in 2012, and spent 16 months in jail. If his opponents believed this would politically finish him, they were mistaken. He emerged stronger.
The 2014 elections were another challenge. With TDP, BJP, and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena joining forces, YSRCP had to contest alone. Though it lost, winning 67 Assembly seats and forming a strong opposition, Jagan proved he wasn’t a pushover.
His Praja Sankalpa Yatra - a 3,648 km-long padayatra - cemented his image as a leader of the people, leading to a landslide victory in 2019 with 151 Assembly and 22 Lok Sabha seats.
However, power brought miscalculations. The three-capital proposal, Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest, and the failure to control corruption among his party’s representatives alienated voters.
Poor communication about government initiatives and policies, such as the Land Titling Act, further fueled distrust. These factors, combined with an overreliance on bureaucrats and a weak political strategy, led to YSRCP’s downfall in 2024.
To reclaim lost ground, Jagan must evolve. Some recent decisions - bringing SV Satish Reddy into his core team and appointing Botsa Satyanarayana as YCP’s leader in the council - are steps in the right direction. However, his approach remains largely unchanged.
He continues to send his party leaders to engage with the public while staying in the background himself.
The future of YSRCP hinges on Jagan’s ability to self-reflect and course-correct. If he fails to recognize the mistakes of his leadership, the party’s revival will remain elusive. The big question remains - can Jagan change? We have to wait and see.
In simple terms, he needs to do walkathons like before and mingle with party workers and people without relaxing. That’s the only road to a big triumph.
Usha Chowdhary
