YSR Congress party honourary president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mother Y S Vijayamma has been keeping away from the party activities for the last three years.
After her son came to power in Andhra Pradesh in May 2019, Vijayamma never showed up in any of the party meetings or the official functions.
And after her daughter Y S Sharmila floated a new regional party in Telangana in the name of YSR Telangana Party, much against the wishes of Jagan, she has been closely associated with the daughter.
There had been hardly any occasions since Jagan and Vijayamma had met, except on the day of her husband late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy’s birth and death anniversaries at Idupulapaya in YSR district. Jagan did not even attend the YSR memorial meeting conducted by Vijayamma in Hyderabad on September 2 last year.
When Vijayamma celebrated her birthday on Tuesday, too, there were no open greetings from Jagan on social media. There is no confirmation as to whether he called her up personally and extended birthday wishes to her.
Vijayamma drove all the way to Lakshmidevipalle in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, where her daughter Sharmila was camping as part of her ongoing marathon padayatra. She cut the cake in the presence of her daughter, her followers and YSRTP cadres.
Only YSRC general secretary V Vijay Sai Reddy wished happy birthday to Vijayamma on Twitter, attaching a picture of her kissing the forehead of Jagan before the last elections in Andhra.
Under these circumstances, there have been several speculations over Vijayamma attending the YSRC plenary to be held in Vijayawada on July 8 this year, which Jagan wants to celebrate on a grand scale, as it is being held after a gap of five years.
The last time that the YSRC plenary was held was in July 2017, months before Jagan embarked on his padayatra. The plenary was attended by Vijayamma in the capacity of party honourary president and it was a big success.
In 2018, the plenary was not held as Jagan was on padayatra; in 2019, he had just come into power and in the next two years, it could not be held due to Coronavirus pandemic.
So, this year, Jagan is holding the plenary for the first time after coming to power. In view of the gap between him and Vijayamma in the last couple of years, one wonders whether she would attend the plenary or not.
In fact, there were reports that she had offered to step down as YSRC honorary president, as she has been associated with her daughter and her Telangana party. So, it might affect the interests of YSRC in Andhra and YSRTP in Telangana.
Sources, however, said there is every possibility of Vijayamma attending the YSRC plenary this time, at least on the inaugural session. However, it remains to be seen whether she would be retained in the post this time or not.