Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy was the Chief Guest at APCOB’s Sixtieth Anniversary last week. Where former IAS officer Jaya Prakash Narayan (JP) was also present due to his previous role as Managing Director during a crisis thirty-two years ago. The encounter between Jagan and JP was warm, leading to rumors that Jagan might be considering bringing JP into the YSR Congress party.
The YSR Congress’s social media, which has previously referred to JP as ‘JP Chowdary,’ possibly to malign him on caste lines, used this occasion to create a viral video portraying Jagan’s respect for JP. This incident has sparked speculation about JP’s potential entry into the YSR Congress, as Jagan seeks a strong Kamma candidate to contest the tough Vijayawada Parliament seat, dominated by the Kamma community.
However, there are doubts about whether JP’s candidature will be a favorable choice for the Vijayawada seat. In the 2009 elections, when JP’s Lok Satta party contested for the first time, he gained some support from the Kamma community but was perceived as a vote-cutter, ultimately helping the Congress party. Subsequently, the Lok Satta’s support base eroded, and JP’s political relevance diminished, except for occasional appearances on YouTube channels.
Moreover, the current political landscape has made voters more cautious about vote-cutters and their intentions, leading to concerns that JP’s candidature may not significantly impact the electoral dynamics in Vijayawada. Despite Jagan’s apparent warmth towards JP, it remains to be seen how JP will respond to the rumors and whether he will consider joining the YSR Congress.