
In a post on X Friday, Vijayasai announced his retirement from politics, and submitted his resignation from Rajya Sabha membership Saturday morning.
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“This is treachery in its worst form, at a time when our supremo is away on a tour abroad. Vijayasai was given prominence like no other leader in the party,” a senior YSRCP leader, who wished not to be named, told ThePrint. Jagan is currently on a tour in the United Kingdom with his family and is expected to return next week.
In addition to his national roles, Vijayasai was appointed in 2022 by Jagan as in-charge of all party-affiliated organisations. However, according to YSRCP insiders, Vijayasai has been uneasy for some time, even appearing half-heartedly in meetings held by the party chief.
“Though there is some talk of Vijayasai joining the BJP, we have no clue what he is up to. His resignation will, in any case, benefit our opposition as we lack the numbers to regain the seat,” said the senior leader quoted above.
After the 2024 elections, YSRCP’s strength fell from 151 to 11 MLAs, and from 22 to four Lok Sabha MPs. However, all 11 Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra Pradesh were with YSRCP—until defections began.
Vijayasai is the fourth one to resign following the party’s rout in the state and general elections last year. His tenure was due to last until June 2028.
Three YSRCP MPs resigned from the Upper House between August and September last year, within three-four months of the TDP-JSP-BJP (Telugu Desam Party-Janasena Party-Bharatiya Janata Party) alliance coming to power.
Beeda Masthan Rao and Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao joined the TDP, while Ryaga Krishnaiah joined the BJP. In the Rajya Sabha elections held in December, Beeda and Krishnaiah were elected from TDP and BJP, respectively, while Mopidevi’s vacated seat was filled by TDP leader Sana Sathish.
In his long X post Friday, Vijayasai asserted that he is “not joining any political party”.
“My resignation is not to attain any post, position, benefit, or monetary gain. This decision is entirely personal. There is no pressure, coercion, or undue influence on me. I will forever be indebted to the YS family, who have supported me for four decades and across three generations,” he wrote.
The MP expressed his gratitude to Jagan for nominating him twice to the Rajya Sabha, “and in particular to Bharatamma garu (Jagan’s wife), who helped me reach new heights in the political arena”.
I am retiring from politics.
I will resign from Rajya Sabha membership tomorrow, 25 Jan, 2025.
I am not joining any political party.
My resignation is not to attain any post/position, benefit, or monetary gain.This decision is entirely personal. There is no pressure, or…
— Vijayasai Reddy V (@VSReddy_MP) January 24, 2025
“I pray to God to bless Jagan garu with good health, immense success, everlasting happiness, and a bright future.”
Vijayasai also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that their support over the past nine years had given him “strength and recognition in the Telugu states”.
Vijayasai had once touched PM Modi’s feet in the Rajya Sabha, seeking his blessings. The gesture, in March 2018—shortly after the TDP exited the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the special status issue for Andhra Pradesh—was seen as an attempt by YSRCP to curry favour with the BJP.
However, Vijayasai has declared that while he “might have had political differences with the TDP, there are no personal issues with Chandrababu garu and his family”.
“My friendship with Pawan Kalyan garu is forever,” he wrote.
Despite his often acerbic remarks about Naidu, Vijayasai was seen talking closely with the TDP chief at a family event in March 2023, held to commemorate a common relative’s passing.
The chartered accountant-turned-politician has said that he will now focus on agriculture.
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Legal troubles & speculation over motives
Vijayasai’s decision comes weeks after reports that the Andhra Pradesh CID (Crime Investigation Department) had issued a lookout circular against him, his son-in-law, and Aurobindo Pharma non-executive director Sarath Chandra Reddy, as well as Vikram Reddy, son of another YSRCP MP, Y. V. Subba Reddy.
The circular pertains to a CID case filed under extortion, forgery and cheating charges, concerning the alleged forced acquisition of shares worth Rs 3,600 crore in Kakinada Seaports Limited and Kakinada Special Economic Zone (SEZ) from Venkateswara Rao Karnati during the YSRCP regime. The CID’s FIR implicates Vijayasai as having orchestrated a complex asset takeover scheme.
Vijayasai’s departure has also drawn reactions from several TDP leaders. Known for his sarcastic and often caustic public statements about TDP and JSP leaders, including Pawan Kalyan, he has also mocked Naidu, referring to his “expiry date”, and called Nara Lokesh “pappu”.
In December, he had called chief minister “a criminal”. He said that the “75-year-old senile gentleman” should make way for Kalyan as CM.
TDP politburo member Somireddy Chandra Mohan Reddy remarked that Vijayasai’s statement clearly reflected “the fear of cases related to his sins”.
“After committing countless sins, you are announcing your exit from politics. Will you do farming with the ill-gotten black money? And who will cover the losses caused to the state?” Somireddy asked.
He further accused Vijayasai of orchestrating corruption, saying, “From 2004 to 2009, you committed sins by placing the then CM’s son in the front, and over the last five years, you were the right hand in the anarchic rule and loot, continuing in your A2 position.”
The leader predicted that more YSRCP MPs could resign soon, adding that “one or two more members could resign by tomorrow night”.
There are also rumours in the political circles that Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, another businessman-turned-Rajya Sabha MP, may be next.
‘A2’ in Jagan’s disproportionate assets cases
Jagan and Vijayasai are the prime accused, among 125 individuals and companies named in 11 CBI chargesheets, related to the 2012 disproportionate assets cases.
According to the CBI, “Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of the then Chief Minister (YS Rajasekhara Reddy), being the principal beneficiary of all the quid pro quo transactions”, is named as accused number one in all chargesheets.
Vijayasai—a chartered accountant who acted as “Jagan’s agent and demanded and obtained bribes, channeling them under the false cover of investments”—is named as accused number two.
The trial is pending before a special court for CBI cases in Nampally, Hyderabad.
While Jagan is currently in the UK, Vijayasai has also reportedly sought permission from the CBI court to visit Europe (Norway and France) next month.
His recent distancing from the party became evident in early December when he surprised YSRCP leaders, including Jagan, by writing on X that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was the “ideal candidate to lead the INDIA bloc”.
“Vijayasai had no business expressing such opinions, ignoring the party’s non-aligned stand now in national politics. Jagan had expressed his displeasure at that time. However, there was no notable chafing between the two over any matter which I can say could have forced his exit decision,” a YSRCP functionary, a close aide of Jagan, told ThePrint.
Vijayasai has had his share of other controversies, too.
Last year, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) had initiated disciplinary proceedings against him, alleging that “his assisting Jagan’s company in obtaining a manipulated valuation report for the purpose of raising funds for it is highly unbecoming of an auditor, contrary to the spirit of the CA Act”.
The ICAI committee proceedings were confronted by Vijayasai as arbitrary, violating principles of natural justice and contravening the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 in the Telangana High Court. A single-judge bench then ruled in his favour, effectively halting the disciplinary inquiry. The ICAI again challenged the order.
In July last year, media reports claimed Vijayasai had an illicit relationship with a married female official from the AP endowments department.
The YSRCP MP then accused a section of the media of trying to tarnish his image, while suspecting the role of some TDP and his own party leaders in the matter.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)