YS Vijayalakshmi, a two-time lawmaker and chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mother, on Friday resigned from Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) saying she wants to stand by her daughter, who launched a political party in Telangana last year.
Popularly known as Vijayamma, she announced her resignation from YSRCP’s primary membership and as its honorary president at the party’s two-day plenary, which began in Guntur on Friday after a five-year hiatus.
Vijayamma represented the Pulivendula assembly constituency in the Kadapa district following the death of her husband, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy (YSR), in a September 2009 helicopter crash. She unsuccessfully contested the 2014 national polls. She has since kept away from electoral politics but continued as YSRCP’s honorary president. Her daughter, Y S Sharmila, launched YSR Telangana Party in July 2021.
Vijayamma, who made the inaugural address at the plenary, said she quit YSRCP to stand by her daughter, who has been waging a lone battle in Telangana. She added Sharmila launched the party to avoid inconvenience to her brother in Andhra Pradesh. “She is fighting to establish a Rajanna Rajyam in Telangana, the welfare government of YSR. I have decided to stand by her in her fight.”
Vijayamma said it would have been inappropriate to be part of different parties in two states and she quit to avoid criticism from rivals and speculation of a rift in their family. “I hope the followers and fans of Y S Rajasekhar Reddy would appreciate my decision and forgive me.” Vijayamma said she would always be there for any moral support to her son. “My blessings would always be with Jagan.’
{{/usCountry}}Vijayamma said it would have been inappropriate to be part of different parties in two states and she quit to avoid criticism from rivals and speculation of a rift in their family. “I hope the followers and fans of Y S Rajasekhar Reddy would appreciate my decision and forgive me.” Vijayamma said she would always be there for any moral support to her son. “My blessings would always be with Jagan.’
{{/usCountry}}She thanked YSR’s followers for their support of her family. “YSR treated all his followers as his own family. He is still alive in the hearts of the people. I came here to bless you and congratulate you for standing by my family and helping us to serve the people.”
Vijayamma said YSRCP was launched thanks to the people’s blessings and added her son was marching ahead with the sole objective of developing the state. “Success has not come to Jagan so easily. He struggled a lot.” She said her son was a youth role model; a man of the masses implementing welfare schemes for the poor.