Sai Reddy’s third force: A vote-split strategy of YSRCP

Vijayasai Reddy is trying to make a political comeback through the front door after spending most of his political career in the backroom. The former MP, once described as the ‘Atma’ of Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and later one of Jagan Mohan Reddy’s most powerful aides, now wants to launch a new political party in Andhra Pradesh with the lofty promise of eliminating “systemic corruption and vindictive political culture”.

Launching a political party is the easy part. Convincing voters is not so easy, since he represents something fundamentally different from the politics he practised for decades. That would be his real challenge.

Does Andhra Pradesh really need another party, or is this merely another attempt to rearrange the existing political equations? More importantly, does Sai Reddy have the political credibility, independent identity, and grassroots connect to build a genuine third force? So far, no major personality has extended his support to him.

His political journey raises more questions than answers.

Sai Reddy has never won an election. He was never an MLA or an MP through an electoral mandate. Yet he became extraordinarily powerful as a backroom operator first under YSR and subsequently under Jagan. He was close to the YSR family for decades and played a crucial role in the functioning of the YSRCP. His influence came not from the people but from proximity to power.

That makes his sudden discovery of the virtues of a politics free from “family rule” particularly interesting.

When Sai Reddy attacks family-based politics, he presumably has Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan in mind. But he conveniently overlooks the fact that he spent decades serving the Congress under YSR, a party whose political leadership at the national level has long been associated with the Nehru-Gandhi family. Later, he became one of the most trusted functionaries of another political family—the YSR family.

So, when exactly did the political awakening strike him?

After the YSRCP lost power in 2024, Sai Reddy appeared to move into political hibernation. He subsequently spoke about starting a television channel and taking up farming. Now both seem to have given way to a new political ambition. He wants to create what he calls a “third force” in Andhra Pradesh.

But a third force cannot be created merely by announcing a party. It needs a political constituency, a credible ideology, organisational strength and, above all, a leader whom voters believe is genuinely independent.

Sai Reddy’s proposed agenda also deserves closer scrutiny. He has spoken of giving 66 per cent of party positions to youth, providing jobs to all and supplying free power not only to farmers but to every household. These may sound attractive at a press conference, but where is the roadmap? How many jobs, at what cost, and through what sectors? How much would universal free power cost the State exchequer? Who will pay for it?

Promises are easy. Governance is not.

There is another question that cannot be brushed aside. Sai Reddy has attacked the TDP and Jana Sena, but his criticism of Jagan’s governance or the Narendra Modi government has been far less pronounced. Given his political past and the legal cases he has faced, this selective approach is bound to invite speculation about his real political calculations.

That speculation becomes particularly relevant when one considers the possibility that a new party could divide the anti-YSRCP vote rather than create an independent political alternative. If the proposed party cuts into the TDP-led NDA vote, it could indirectly benefit Jagan. With Jagan also expected to undertake a padayatra next year, the possibility of a larger political strategy cannot simply be dismissed.

And Andhra Pradesh has seen this movie before.

In 2008, Chiranjeevi launched the Praja Rajyam Party, presenting it as an alternative political force. The party attracted considerable support and eventually won 18 Assembly seats in the 2009 elections. But the division of votes played a significant role in the Congress retaining power.

The question, therefore, is not whether Sai Reddy can float a party. He certainly can. The question is whether he can persuade voters that his party is more than a vehicle for political arithmetic.

For a man who spent decades as a powerful backroom operator, the biggest challenge will be stepping into the public arena and convincing people that he has an independent political identity of his own.

Public memory may be short, but it is not necessarily selective.

Sai Reddy will have to answer for his past, including the CBI cases against him pertaining to the Jagan Mohan Reddy disproportionate-assets/quid-pro-quo investment investigation and PMLA cases. He has also been to jail along with Jagan in 2012.

Until then, his proposed “third force” remains more a political proposition than a political force.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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