Vijaya Sai Reddy denies TDP link in sharp rebuttal

Former Rajya Sabha MP V. Vijaya Sai Reddy has strongly refuted allegations of secret ties with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), accusing a faction within the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) of orchestrating a smear campaign to tarnish his image and indirectly damage party chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

In a pointed Telugu-language post shared on May 26, Reddy lashed out at what he described as a “coterie” inside YSRCP. He alleged that the group was spreading false narratives on social media to provoke him into responding, hoping that his reaction would be perceived as disloyalty to Jagan.

“My silence has become intolerable to some within the party,” Reddy wrote. “They are spreading fabricated claims to force me into reacting. Those who think my reaction would hurt Jagan are the ones instigating me.”

Denies secret meeting

The controversy erupted after The Wire published a report alleging that Reddy met with TDP leader TD Janardhan at the residence of veteran film producer Aadi Seshagiri Rao in Tadepalli on March 11, 2025. According to the report, the alleged meeting lasted 45 minutes—just hours before Reddy appeared before the CID in connection with the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam.

Reddy categorically denied the claims, calling them baseless and politically motivated. He reiterated that his resignation from the Rajya Sabha and his exit from politics on January 25, 2025, were entirely personal and not driven by any plans to join the TDP, BJP, or the ruling NDA coalition.

“I have served the YSR family for over 40 years and continue to remain loyal to them,” Reddy asserted. “The claim that I’m shifting allegiances is nothing more than a distraction meant to shift blame for the party’s failings.”

He further alleged that the same group behind these claims was attempting to deflect responsibility for internal issues, including the liquor scam, by scapegoating him.

Speculation grows amid political turbulence

The allegations have added fuel to ongoing political tensions in Andhra Pradesh. YSRCP minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy has publicly accused Vijaya Sai Reddy of leaning toward the TDP, while Jagan himself recently made veiled remarks suggesting disloyalty among former allies. These developments have only deepened public speculation about internal cracks within the party.

Meanwhile, the TDP has neither confirmed nor denied the alleged meeting, and party leaders have remained silent. However, the timing of the controversy—amid key investigations and shifting political allegiances—has raised eyebrows, with observers suggesting it could signal broader realignments in state politics. As of now, Vijaya Sai Reddy remains adamant that he has no political intentions and insists that his statements are solely to protect his legacy and distance himself from what he calls “malicious propaganda.”