YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to Rentapalla village in Palnadu district was officially meant to console the family of party leader Nagamalleshwara Rao, who recently died by suicide. However, the party appeared to turn the visit into a major show of strength.
Despite restrictions imposed by Palnadu police, which allowed Jagan to visit the village with only around 100 people, including his convoy and three additional vehicles, YSRCP leaders reportedly defied the orders.
All along the route from Tadepalli to Rentapalla, party cadres displayed over-enthusiasm. In Sattenapalli, YSRCP workers even organized a rally from the bus stand to the Five Lanterns Junction.
YSRCP leaders, including former minister Vidadala Rajini, former MLAs Kasu Mahesh Reddy and Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy, and Sattenapalli YSRCP in-charge Gajjala Sudheer Bhargav Reddy, accused the government of misusing police powers to obstruct Jagan’s visit under the pretext of security concerns.
The leaders said it was unusual that police were restricting the number of people accompanying Jagan to just 100, citing security reasons. They maintained that Jagan would proceed with the visit regardless of whether formal police permission was granted.
“Jagan is synonymous with the people, and he will always stand by them — especially when they are facing repression and brutality from the government. So we cannot stop people from coming to see him,” they said.