How he treated our sisters: Nara Lokesh uses Jagan's niece's wedding to attack him

Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister Nara Lokesh criticised YSRCP chief and former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy for refusing to allow his niece's wedding at the family property in Bengaluru. The TDP leader used the family feud and hinted that Jagan hadn't fulfilled his promises on women's welfare.

In Short

• Nara Lokesh slams ex-CM Jagan Reddy over rejecting wedding venue of niece
• The YSRCP chief cites security, privacy concerns over using Yelahanka Palace
• Lokesh uses Jagan's family feud to recall unfulfilled promises by him for women

Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister Nara Lokesh has used the controversy over YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's niece's wedding to target the former chief minister of the state, linking his family dispute with his record on women's welfare during his five-year rule.

In a post on X on Monday (October 26), Nara Lokesh took a swipe at the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief over his refusal to allow the wedding of his niece, YS Anjili Reddy, at the family property in Bengaluru. He invoked the traditional role of a maternal uncle in a wedding before turning the episode into a political attack.

"Every family has a Mama who blesses his niece at the wedding and does everything possible to make it a memorable occasion," Lokesh wrote.

"Here, Jagan Reddy is refusing to let the wedding happen at YSR garu's own family home. If this is how he treats his own sister and niece, the people of Andhra Pradesh already know how he treated our sisters for 5 years," he added.

The remarks gave the Telugu Desam Party's (TDP's) leader an opportunity to revive criticism of Jagan's governance, particularly the promises made to women during his tenure as chief minister from 2019 to 2024.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu last week had criticised Jagan over the wedding controversy, calling him "Kansa Mama" and accusing him of lacking political, moral and family values.

Naidu alleged that Jagan had treated his mother and sister unfairly over property matters and said he had "failed as a chief minister, son, brother, uncle and citizen". The YSRCP hit back, accusing Naidu of resorting to personal attacks to divert attention from local body election issues.

REDDY FAMILY'S FEUD OVER BENGALURU PROPERTY AS WEDDING VENUE

Anjili Reddy, the daughter of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila, got engaged to Somala Raghurami Reddy on September 24. The wedding is scheduled for November 25.

Sharmila had planned to host the ceremony at Yelahanka Palace, the family property in Bengaluru. However, Jagan declined to allow the venue to be used, citing security concerns and privacy risks associated with hosting a large gathering at his residence.

In a letter dated October 9, Jagan conveyed his best wishes to the couple but maintained that the wedding should be held elsewhere. He also offered alternatives, including his property at Lotus Pond in Hyderabad or a convention centre.

The letter, made public by the YSRCP, brought the long-running estrangement between the siblings back into the political spotlight. Sharmila's side was left looking for an alternative venue in Bengaluru.

The dispute is also linked to a broader disagreement over family assets, including shares in Saraswati Power and Industries Ltd, with the matter pending before the National Company Law Tribunal.

NARA LOKESH USES WEDDING ROW TO RECALL JAGAN'S UNFULFILLED WOMEN'S WELFARE

The family feud of the Reddy's gave Nara Lokesh political ammunition against Jagan to recall his promises and record on women's welfare.

During his tenure, the Jagan-led YSRCP government promoted welfare programmes aimed at women and families, including financial assistance through schemes such as YSR Cheyutha and YSR Asara. The YSRCP also highlighted direct benefit transfers and support for women's self-help groups as key achievements of its administration.

The TDP, meanwhile, campaigned on promises of financial assistance and other benefits for women ahead of the 2024 Assembly election. After coming to power, the TDP-led government began implementing its Super Six promises, including schemes focused on women and girls.

Jagan's record on women's welfare remained a key target for the TDP during their time in the opposition seat from 2019 to 2024. Nara Lokesh spearheaded the attacks against Jagan and had been accusing his government of failing to fulfil campaign promises, including total prohibition and financial assistance and pension schemes for women from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Backward Class and minority communities aged 45 and above.

TDP also questioned the Jagan-led government's handling of crimes against women, alleging lapses in law enforcement and women's safety. The YSRCP, however, rejected the allegations made by TDP, maintaining that its government had prioritised women's welfare and protection, while accusing the subsequent TDP-led government of failing to ensure women's safety.

For Nara Lokesh, the family feud offered a way to bring the personal dispute into the TDP-YSRCP political battle. By invoking the role of a maternal uncle and connecting it to women's welfare, Andhra's HRD minister has sought to turn a family disagreement into a broader question about Jagan's public record.

- Ends
(Written by Avinash Kateel)