YSRCP’s search for political momentum

Two years after suffering one of the most severe electoral setbacks in its history, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) appears to be trying its best to breach the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) fortress and once again gain a stronghold in Andhra politics. However, it has not been an easy task, primarily because, as political scientists point out, the YSRCP cadre base is in disarray, and has failed to capitalise on pertinent issues that could have become major rallying points against the Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government.

However, in the last few months, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, president of the YSRCP, has been hitting the road quite often after a hiatus of about a year following the election debacle, which could serve as a motivating factor for his party leaders and cadre.

Mobilising efforts

Mr. Reddy began his comeback trail by opposing the State Government’s proposal to develop at least 10 of the 17 medical colleges under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. However, as per analysts, the YSRCP chief could only partially capitalise on the issue as the government, to a large extent, was successful in changing public opinion by arguing that the PPP mode would allow colleges to become operational faster without placing the entire financial burden on the State, whose finances had allegedly been weakened by the earlier YSRCP government. The NDA government has consistently maintained that private investment is essential for completing unfinished infrastructure projects, improving facilities, and expanding access to specialised healthcare services.

Additionally, with the success of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in New Delhi, the YSRCP had been trying hard to scale up its protest over alleged irregularities in the District Selection Committee (DSC) recruitment, but has, so far, not been able to garner that kind of mass response or participation. The State government has rejected such allegations in the DSC recruitment process and insisted that the exercise was conducted fairly and transparently. The government not only countered every allegation with proof (or so it claims), it is also basking in the glory of successfully conducting the long-pending exam and recruiting close to 16,000 teachers.

Falling back on farmers

The 2024 election results have certainly dented the YSRCP’s image, but Mr. Reddy is known for his resilience. Of late, he has been working on highlighting the issues plaguing farmers, especially those related to minimum support prices and the alleged unfulfilled promises of the ruling coalition.

He began his campaign by engaging with farmers in February this year, when he visited chilli farmers at the Guntur Chilli Yard. He demanded that the State Government work out a remunerative price and also flagged the sharp drop in chilli prices. Here again, the State government was quick to address the issue through a multi-pronged strategy involving market intervention, financial aid, acreage management, and strict quality control measures.

Farmers constitute a huge chunk of the electoral mandate and play a decisive role in election outcomes. Mr. Reddy’s father, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, had also focused on farmers’ welfare, which catapulted him to power as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra in 2004. He is still regarded as the farmers’ Chief Minister.

Mr. Reddy’s every visit has been mired in some controversy, and at times the YSRCP has alleged police excesses. In almost every visit, there has been a scuffle with the police, including the one in Bangarupalem, where he had gone on July 9, 2025, to meet mango farmers, and in Srikakulam, where he had gone on July 30, 2026, to meet his former minister, Seediri Appalaraju. Some of his visits have also been controversial such as the recent one in which he visited Mr. Appalaraju. The former minister is in jail for allegedly screening evidence in an accident case involving his son. The NDA was quick to latch onto the issue and accused Mr. Reddy of visiting the accused while not caring to visit the family of the deceased.

In all this, the larger challenge before Mr. Reddy is to transform the current momentum into a lasting political advantage. Protests and demonstrations may generate immediate attention, but only a coherent policy alternative can sustain public confidence.