A disagreement over a family property has become part of the political exchange between the TDP and YSRCP.
AMARAVATI Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has used a disagreement over the proposed venue for a family wedding to question former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s record on women’s welfare. The comments bring a private family matter into the continuing political contest between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
Y. S. Anjili Reddy, the daughter of Andhra Pradesh Congress president Y. S. Sharmila, is scheduled to marry Somala Raghurami Reddy on November 25. Sharmila had planned to hold the ceremony at Yelahanka Palace in Bengaluru, a property associated with the family of her late father, former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
According to the supplied material, Jagan opposed using the Bengaluru property, citing security, privacy and the movement of guests and service staff. In a letter dated October 9, he conveyed his wishes to the couple and suggested alternatives, including a property in Hyderabad or a convention centre. The disagreement has brought differences over family assets into public discussion.
Lokesh’s social-media remarks widened the argument to include the YSRCP government’s record on women’s welfare during its 2019–2024 tenure. That administration promoted programmes such as YSR Cheyutha and YSR Asara, which were intended to provide financial support to eligible women and women’s self-help groups. The TDP has questioned whether the previous government delivered on its commitments, while the current TDP-led government has promoted its own welfare agenda.
The political criticism does not, by itself, establish how effectively either administration delivered its programmes. The dispute has attracted attention because Sharmila leads the Congress organisation in Andhra Pradesh while Jagan heads the YSRCP. The YSRCP has accused opponents of using a family disagreement for political purposes, while TDP leaders have continued to criticise Jagan’s record.