The hot political moment in Andhra Pradesh has gained much attention. A photograph of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy warmly embracing senior leader and former minister Sake Sailajanath at a wedding reception is doing the rounds on social media. It has set off wild speculations about Sailajanath joining the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
On Wednesday, YS Jagan attended the wedding reception of Dr. K. Chathur and Dr. K. Nikhil, the daughter and son-in-law of YSRCP state secretary Ternakal Surendra Reddy. Held at the GRC Convention Center in Kurnool, the event drew a host of political leaders and supporters. Amid a celebratory atmosphere, Jagan blessed the newlyweds, interacted with party workers, and delighted fans by posing for selfies. Following the reception, he returned to his residence in Tadepalli.
That sudden reunion between Jagan and Sailajanath was all this evening needed to become all the rage on social networks. The two leaders did hug each other warmly; then, a few lines of conversation that would also quickly go viral. This has triggered rumors that Sailajanath may make a political tie-up. In fact, some media outlets claim that he could formally join the YSRCP as early as January 2024. Others claim that this was nothing more than an amicable conversation during the event with no political overtones whatsoever. Sailajanath has yet to comment on these speculations and has kept mum so far.
Sake Sailajanath is a veteran politician from the Anantapur district, known for his contribution to the Congress Party. He represents the Singanamala constituency and won the elections in 2004 and 2009 and was a minister in the undivided Andhra Pradesh government. Post-bifurcation, Sailajanath took over as the Andhra Pradesh Congress president in 2022. Rumors existed beforehand that he would soon leave the Congress and join the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in advance of the elections of 2024; yet he stayed with the Congress and fought from Singanamala, and this time around was unsuccessful. Ever since, he has largely been out of the headlines of politics.
This recent interaction with Jagan has reignited interest in Sailajanath’s political trajectory. Many are curious to see if the viral moment signals a new chapter in his career, with a potential shift to the YSRCP. Only time will reveal whether these speculations hold any truth, but the buzz surrounding the meeting shows no signs of slowing down.
