Jagan’s attack on Rahul Gandhi: Tactical move or long-term gamble?

Andhra Pradesh politics took a sharp turn on Tuesday as YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy publicly questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s silence over alleged large-scale vote tampering in the recent Andhra Pradesh elections 2024.

Addressing the media, Mr. Jagan alleged that the total vote count in the State increased by 12.5% between polling day and counting day — an unexplained jump of nearly 48 lakh votes.

“Why is Rahul Gandhi not talking about this?” Jagan Mohan Reddy asked, adding that the Congress leader’s silence raises serious questions about his stand on electoral integrity in Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Jagan claimed that Rahul Gandhi has maintained “constant touch” with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu through Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. According to the YSRCP chief, this relationship has prevented the Congress from speaking against alleged electoral irregularities in the State.

He accused both the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of having a tacit political understanding, which he says undermines the credibility of the opposition in Andhra Pradesh.

Political analysts believe Jagan Mohan Reddy’s remarks are aimed at positioning the YSRCP as the only strong challenger to the TDP ahead of future Andhra Pradesh political developments.

“By pushing this idea of a backroom deal, Jagan wants to ensure the Congress does not emerge as a credible alternative to the TDP,” said Dr. K. Prabhakar, a Hyderabad-based political commentator.

Prof. S. Venkata Rao of Andhra University observed, “Even a marginal recovery of the Congress could eat into YSRCP’s anti-TDP vote base. This explains the pre-emptive strike.”

However, senior journalist L. Ramesh warned that the tactic could have unintended consequences. “Repeatedly targeting the Congress might actually give it more visibility. Moderate voters could start seeing the Congress as a viable opposition simply because it is being talked about more often,” he said.

In addition to the vote tampering allegations, Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the TDP government of large-scale corruption in the Amaravati capital city project and irregularities in Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

He claimed that both the TDP and Congress deliberately avoid criticising each other on such issues due to a political backdoor arrangement.

With Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape still heated following the 2024 elections, analysts say the coming months will be crucial. Whether Jagan Mohan Reddy’s offensive consolidates the YSRCP’s base or helps the Congress’s revival will depend on the responses from both the Congress and TDP leadership.