YSR Congress Party’s Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy (46) has been elected as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He took the oath of office of the Chief Minister on May 30th, 2019. In the 2019 National and State Election held in April-May, YSRCP won 151 of the total 175 assembly seats and 22 Lok Sabha seats out of 25. The YSR Congress decimated the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, who became the first chief minister of the state after it was bifurcated to carve out Telangana five years ago.
The son of the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Jagan Reddy is the founder of YSR Congress Party. He was Leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly since 16th May 2014 until May 2019.
He started his political career by campaigning for Indian National Congress in 2004 elections in Kadapa district. In the 2009 elections he was elected as Member of Parliament from Kadapa constituency as a member of the Indian National Congress.
Founding YSR Congress Party
On 29th November 2010, he resigned, after a fallout with the Indian National Congress high command. On 7th December 2010 at Pulivendula, he announced to form a new political party within 45 days. In March 2011, he announced his party name at Jaggampeta of East Godavari district. Later, his party went to by-polls in YSR Kadapa district and won almost all the seats with a huge majority.
2011 by-election Success
Jagan, as the president of YSR Congress, faced by-election from the Kadapa constituency and won by a large margin of 545,043 votes.
2014 Election Defeat
In 2014, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), was a pre-poll favourite among most analysts and psephologists. But, the YSRCP lost the 2014 elections, winning only 67 of 175 seats in the state assembly, with 45% of vote share. In the 2014 election, the Telugu Desam Party vote share went up to 47% and the 2% gap led to the defeat of YSRCP.
Opposition to the Formation of Telangana
While in jail (disproportionate assets case), Reddy started a hunger strike opposing the United Progressive Alliance’s decision to endorse the creation of a separate Telangana state. After 125 hours of indefinite hunger strike, his sugar levels and blood pressure were down. He was moved to Osmania General Hospital for treatment.
His mother, MLA Vijayamma, was also on hunger strike protesting the formation of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh. After his release, Reddy called for a 72-hour bandh protesting the formation of Telangana. Both Jagan and his mother resigned from their legislatures opposing the Telangana decision.
Praja Sankalpa Yatra
The YSRC chief launched his ‘Praja Sankalpa Padayatra’ a 3,000-km-long walkathon, at RK Valley in his native Kadapa district after paying homage at the grave of his father.YSR Congress party coined a slogan ‘Raavali Jagan, Kaavali Jagan’ (Jagan should come. We want Jagan) for the foot march that took to him across 125 Assembly segments in 13 districts of the state in 430 days. This Yatra was started on November 6, 2017 and ended on January 9, 2019.
Personal Life
Jaganmohan Reddy was born on 21 December 1972 in Pulivendula village of Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh. He received his early education from Pulivendula and Hyderabad Public School. Reddy is an adherent of Christianity much like his father and his grandfather (Y. S. Raja Reddy) and is a communicant member of the Church of South India (Diocese of Rayalaseema) and attends the CSI-Town Church, Pulivendula. He has a younger sister, Y. S. Sharmila, who is
also a politician.
