Jagan Bets on Padayatra to Regain Lost Ground
Facing the steepest downturn in his party’s history, Jagan Mohan Reddy is preparing to return to the road with a new Padayatra, hoping that the strategy that once lifted him to power can help revive the YSR Congress. In Andhra Pradesh, Padayatras have become more than campaign tools; they have shaped political outcomes for nearly twenty years. Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy marched his way to a mandate in 2009. N. Chandrababu Naidu undertook his own walk after bifurcation. Mr. Jagan’s 3,600-km journey in 2019 helped propel him to the Chief Minister’s chair, and Nara Lokesh broke that record in 2024 during the TDP’s return to power.
After the YSRCP’s heavy defeat in 2024, the party finds itself at its lowest point. Seeking to rebuild, Mr. Jagan is planning what leaders describe as “Padayatra 2.0.” Party spokesperson Kavuru Venkat Reddy said in a recent television debate that the former Chief Minister will begin his walk about fifteen months before the next election and remain on the road until the campaign concludes. The plan is to cover close to 5,000 kilometres, setting a new distance record and signalling a full-scale effort to reconnect with voters.
The objective is straightforward: meet people directly, listen to their concerns and recover ground lost over the past five years. But the political setting is markedly different from 2019. Then, Mr. Jagan was viewed as a fresh contender and his “Okka Chance” message resonated across the State. Today, the public judges him through the lens of his tenure.
His time in office drew criticism for limited public engagement. He stayed largely within the Tadepalli residence, curtailed interactions even with senior party leaders and travelled under tight restrictions that kept citizens at a distance. Curtains along travel routes, shuttered shops and halted traffic only reinforced the sense of separation.
As he prepares to take his message back to the people, the question is whether a long march can bridge the gap that widened during his years in power. For Mr. Jagan, the challenge ahead is not just the kilometres he plans to walk, but the trust he must rebuild.