Former YSR Congress Party general secretary V Vijay Sai Reddy, who resigned from the party and his Rajya Sabha membership in January this year, has blamed a coterie surrounding party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for his exit.
Sai Reddy said his stature within the party had gradually fallen — from being No. 2 to No. 2000 — due to the influence of this coterie, and that Jagan had lost trust in him.
Initially, it was widely believed that leaders like Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, Y V Subba Reddy, and Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, who were seen as part of Jagan’s inner circle, were responsible for Sai Reddy’s sidelining.
However, highly placed sources in the party suggest otherwise. They claim it was not these leaders, but Jagan’s former IT advisor, Kasireddy Rajasekhar Reddy, also known as Raj Kasireddy — now accused of being the kingpin in the alleged liquor scam during the Jagan regime — who forced Sai Reddy out.
Ever since Sai Reddy was summoned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Andhra Pradesh police for questioning in connection with the liquor scam, he has openly named Raj Kasireddy as the mastermind behind it.
Sai Reddy accused Raj Kasireddy of being a criminal-minded individual who cheated the people, the party, and the government. He has pledged full cooperation with the investigation to expose Kasireddy's role.
Meanwhile, Raj Kasireddy also made critical comments about Sai Reddy. During his SIT interrogation, Kasireddy implicated Sai Reddy, leading to Sai being named as Accused No. 4 (A-4) in the case.
Inquiries reveal that Raj Kasireddy gained entry into the YSRCP nearly a decade ago, initially through Sai Reddy, who was then No. 2 in the party.
Owing to Kasireddy’s English skills — having worked in the U.S. for some years — Sai Reddy entrusted him with the responsibility of liaising with Prashant Kishor’s I-PAC team for managing party strategies.
Gradually, Raj Kasireddy grew closer to Jagan, leveraging a distant family connection and his involvement in discussions between Jagan and Prashant Kishor’s team. After Jagan came to power in 2019, Kasireddy was appointed as IT advisor.
It was then that Raj Kasireddy began involving himself in formulating liquor policies and orchestrating kickback strategies with liquor companies and distilleries.
Initially, meetings were held at Sai Reddy’s residence, and Sai Reddy was reportedly receiving a share of the kickbacks.
"But within months, Raj Kasireddy sidelined Sai Reddy and took complete control of the liquor money dealings. By ingratiating himself with Jagan’s inner circle, he ensured Sai Reddy was completely excluded," sources said.
Frustrated, Sai Reddy attempted to lodge complaints with Jagan against Kasireddy. However, Jagan reportedly brushed them aside, telling Sai Reddy to stay away from Kasireddy.
"Sai Reddy realized that Kasireddy had entrenched himself deeply within the party’s inner workings. He remained silent until after the elections, and once the YSRCP lost power, he quietly left the party," the sources added.
According to a senior party leader, while Raj Kasireddy might currently face setbacks due to the SIT investigation, it could ultimately strengthen his position.
"It wouldn’t be surprising if Raj Kasireddy eventually rises to become No. 2 in the YSRCP," the leader said.