It has been exactly 15 years since former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy met with a tragic death in a helicopter crash in the Nallamala Hills at Atmakur in Kurnool district.
His death was a shock for the entire state, and even after one and a half decades, he remains in the hearts of the people because of his impactful leadership.
His son, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who began his political career during his father’s tenure as a Lok Sabha member from Kadapa, somehow could not replicate YSR’s approach, which led to his humiliating defeat in the recent elections.
From day one, Jagan displayed a rebellious attitude instead of adopting a diplomatic approach to advance in politics.
Though YSR also differed with the Congress high command on many issues, he managed to get his work done and created a situation where he became indispensable to the party.
On the other hand, Jagan directly confronted the high command simply because he was not made the chief minister in place of his father.
Had he acted more diplomatically and shown patience, he, too, might have become indispensable to the high command.
But Jagan was too impatient to wait for his chance.
He left the Congress and started his own political party—the YSR Congress Party. He received massive support from leaders and the public, not because of a strong belief in his leadership but because he was YSR’s son.
The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh also helped Jagan consolidate his position in state politics, as people rejected the Congress, which was blamed for the bifurcation, and saw no alternative to the TDP except for the YSRCP.
Yet, in 2014, people voted for the TDP for various reasons, including a strategic alliance with the BJP. Still, the YSRCP gained a strong position, again largely due to YSR’s legacy, which helped Jagan strengthen his party and eventually come to power in 2019.
After Jagan assumed office in 2019, the differences between him and his father in terms of administration and political strategies became glaringly evident.
While YSR introduced several welfare schemes like free power supply, fee reimbursement, and Arogya Sri, which are still being continued by his successors, he never ignored development.
During YSR’s tenure, several infrastructure projects, such as Krishnapatnam Port, Visakhapatnam IT corridor, Outer Ring Road, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Pharma City, and Sri City Special Economic Zone, were developed in the state.
In contrast, Jagan focused primarily on his "Navaratnalu"—nine welfare schemes, some of which were continuations of older schemes—and allocated most of the government revenues to these schemes, often resorting to heavy borrowing.
Although he ensured the effective implementation of these schemes, it was not enough to satisfy the people. There were no employment-generating schemes, no industrial development, and no initiatives aimed at asset creation.
Politically, Jagan also lagged behind his father in terms of strategy. While YSR won the support of all castes, including Kammas and Kapus, and not just Reddys, Jagan alienated these communities and even targeted their financial bases in an attempt to suppress them politically, which backfired.
Unlike YSR, who was accessible and friendly to all party MLAs, ministers, and even common people, Jagan isolated himself and was rarely accessible, even to his own MLAs, let alone the general public.
As a result, a small group of party leaders formed around him, controlling the entire party. This coterie lacked a mass base and prevented the concerns of the people from reaching Jagan, ultimately leading to his humiliating defeat in the recent elections.
At least now, Jagan needs to abandon his authoritarian approach, adopt a more open attitude toward party leaders and members, engage with the public regularly, and focus on developmental issues rather than solely on welfare schemes.
Ultimately, it is the legacy of YSR that could help reshape Jagan's image!