It’s more than three years to go for the assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, but the YSR Congress Party is said to have begun exercise to return to power at any cost.
YSRCP president and former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has been expressing confidence about returning to power in 2029.
He is claiming that public dissatisfaction with the coalition government is already mounting and that a political comeback for the YSRCP is “certain.”
As part of his outreach strategy, he has announced plans to undertake another statewide padayatra a year ahead of the elections.
He has already begun the exercise of revamping the party structure and appointing in-charges in various constituencies.
Against this backdrop, political circles are abuzz with reports that popular political strategist Prashant Kishor is likely to be back in Andhra Pradesh politics, apparently to assist the YSRCP.
Kishor had played a key role in scripting the party’s landslide victory in 2019. However, in the 2024 elections, he is learnt to have extended strategic support to the TDP, with some of his inputs reportedly benefiting the party.
Jagan’s experiment with the I-PAC team led by Robin Sharma in 2024 elections has backfired, as their strategies failed to deliver electoral success.
Since then, Jagan has been exploring options for a new political strategist, holding discussions with multiple consultants based in Bengaluru.
Sources indicate that efforts are now underway at the national level, particularly in New Delhi, to bring Kishor back on board for the YSRCP ahead of 2029.
However, Kishor’s recent limited impact in Bihar elections and his current engagements in states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu may influence his decision.
If negotiations proceed as expected, an official announcement regarding this strategic partnership is likely during the party’s plenary session scheduled in July, source said.