A family disagreement over a proposed Bengaluru venue has become part of the political exchange between the TDP and YSRCP.
AMARAVATI Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has criticised former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy over a disagreement about the venue for the wedding of his niece, using the issue to renew the Telugu Desam Party’s criticism of the previous YSR Congress Party government’s record on women’s welfare.
Y. S. Anjili Reddy, daughter of Andhra Pradesh Congress president Y. S. Sharmila, is due 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 source material, Jagan opposed using the Bengaluru property, citing concerns about 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 longstanding differences over family assets back into public discussion.
Lokesh’s social-media comments moved beyond the immediate family matter to question Jagan’s record on women’s welfare during the YSRCP government’s 2019–2024 tenure. That administration promoted schemes including YSR Cheyutha and YSR Asara, aimed at providing financial support to eligible women and women’s self-help groups.
The TDP has questioned whether the previous government fulfilled its commitments to women and other beneficiaries. The TDP-led government has also promoted its own welfare commitments since the 2024 Assembly election. Lokesh’s criticism reflects the ruling party’s political position and does not independently settle the competing claims about programme delivery.
The dispute has drawn wider attention because Sharmila leads the Congress organisation in Andhra Pradesh while Jagan heads the YSRCP. TDP leaders, including Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, have criticised Jagan, while the YSRCP has accused opponents of using a private family issue for political gain.