Vijay Sai Reddy alleges Jagan has a ‘silly coterie’

V. Vijay Sai Reddy, formerly the number 2 in YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and trusted aide of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has recently garnered attention due to his incisive critique of his former leader. The comments made by Vijay Sai Reddy, subsequent to his exit from the party and politics in January 2025, have ignited discourse over the internal dynamics of YSRCP and Jagan’s leadership approach.

The latest comments have further sparked debate.

Vijay Sai Reddy stated that Jagan’s dependence on a tight circle of advisors, or “coterie,” has undermined both Jagan’s leadership and the party’s future.

During a media meeting on March 12, 2025, Vijay Sai Reddy asserted that a cadre of subordinate leaders encircling Jagan had manipulated information and restricted access to him, isolating him from wider party contributions. He contended that this clique deceived Jagan, exacerbating the party’s failures, notably its considerable defeat in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections.

Sai Reddy’s suggestion to Jagan

Sai Reddy cautioned that Jagan’s political prospects depend on liberating himself from this faction, asserting, “For Jagan to have a future, he must extricate himself from his coterie.”

 He additionally asserted that these advisors compromised his standing inside the party and contributed to the legal and political difficulties Jagan presently encounters, suggesting that they might be the “masterminds” behind certain charges against him.

These comments emerged weeks after Jagan, in early February 2025, remarked on the departure of leaders such as Vijay Sai Reddy from YSRCP. Jagan underscored the significance of honesty and audacity in politics, implying that those who departed, including Sai Reddy, were devoid of credibility and yielded to foreign influences.

Vijay Sai Reddy asserted that his departure was motivated not by fear or compromise, but by a principled opposition to the internal dynamics cultivated by Jagan’s counselors. He characterized his departure as a “fearless” decision, claiming that the “second-rate leaders” surrounding Jagan had “betrayed” him and undermined his standing within the party for their benefit.

The rift between the two has been a subject of considerable conjecture in the political arenas of Andhra Pradesh. Reddy’s comments have intensified perceptions of discord inside YSRCP, particularly as the party contends with its reduced prominence after the 2024 electoral defeat.

Observers indicate that the complaint by Vijay Sai Reddy underscores a wider apprehension regarding Jagan’s leadership—his purported excessive dependence on a limited, trusted inner circle, which some contend has alienated him from grassroots workers and the general populace.

The road ahead

Although Vijay Sai Reddy asserts that his exit from politics was a personal choice devoid of external influence, his latest remarks indicate persistent bitterness. Social media discourse has indicated individuals such as Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy as potential objects of his animosity.

This public reprimand from a formerly trusted confidant highlights the difficulties Jagan encounters in rejuvenating his party. It remains uncertain whether he will accept the advice of Vijay Sai Reddy to separate from his inner circle; nonetheless, the incident has undoubtedly revealed fractures within YSRCP at a pivotal moment.

To join BJP?

On the other hand, speculations are rife that Vijay Sai Reddy will join BJP very soon. The YSRC party says that he is singing the tunes under the direction of BJP.