With three more years left for the next Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled for early 2029, YSR Congress Party president and former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is reportedly preparing an early political roadmap to revive the party after its defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to party sources, Jagan has initiated a strategic review of the factors that led to the YSRCP’s electoral setback.
He has reportedly commissioned an independent survey to identify the reasons behind the defeat.
The survey reportedly pointed to overconfidence in the leadership, disconnect with the grassroots cadre, weak campaign management, shifting of candidates, unpopular candidate selections in certain constituencies, and governance-related shortcomings as the key reasons for the defeat.
Learning from these issues, Jagan is said to be planning early candidate selection for strategically important constituencies even before launching his next major political outreach programme or padayatra.
“The objective is to send selected leaders into the field well in advance to rebuild cadre morale and strengthen public engagement,” sources said.
The YSRCP leadership has reportedly prioritised constituencies considered strongholds of the ruling Telugu Desam Party-led coalition.
Multiple survey agencies have already been engaged to conduct constituency-level assessments, with special emphasis on cadre feedback and grassroots sentiment.
One such constituency is Mangalagiri, represented by Telugu Desam Party general secretary and state IT minister Nara Lokesh, who is emerging as the political successor to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
There are indications from the ruling party that Lokesh could be projected as the next chief ministerial candidate of the TDP, while Naidu may move to national politics. If the YSRCP manages to defeat Lokesh in the Assembly elections, it would be a major setback for the TDP.
That is why Jagan has decided to focus on Mangalagiri.
According to sources, he is considering fielding a strong and “unexpected candidate” against Lokesh in the next election.
Sources said Jagan is considering the name of one of his close associates, who is believed to be a relative of a prominent Telugu actor. The name, however, has been kept under wraps for now.
Apparently, this candidate has the potential to strengthen the party and attract support from both the cadre and voters. However, the party leadership is expected to take a final call only after reviewing detailed survey reports.
Simultaneously, the YSRCP is also conducting surveys across Assembly constituencies in the Amaravati region.
Party strategists reportedly believe that the present ruling alliance may continue together in 2029, and are accordingly preparing constituency-wise political strategies at an early stage.
As part of the plan, prospective candidates may initially be appointed as party coordinators and tasked with rebuilding organisational strength at the grassroots level.
