Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy

Jagan Mohan Reddy was born in Christian Reddy family in Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh to Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Y. S. Vijayamma.[6][7] Reddy has a younger sister, Y. S. Sharmila, who is also a politician.[8]

He studied at The Hyderabad Public School up to 12th grade.[7] Tollywood actor Sumanth Kumar Yarlagadda was his best friend at school.[9] He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree[6][7] from Pragathi Mahavidyalaya Degree and PG college,[image 1] Ram Koti, Hyderabad.[10]

Reddy married Bharathi on 28 August 1996.[6][7] The couple has two daughters, the elder of whom studied undergraduate in London.[6][7]

Reddy first acquired Sandur Power Company Limited (SPCL), a defunct power project from its original promoter M B Ghorpade in 2001.[11] SPCL later invested crores of rupees in other companies and could acquire more businesses. It is headed by his wife, Y. S. Bharathi.[12] Reddy sold his shares in SPCL and moved away from his active direct businesses as he got more involved in politics.

Reddy's father Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, was a two-time chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, serving from 2004 to 2009. He started his political career campaigning for Indian National Congress during the 2004 elections in Kadapa district.[13] In 2009, he was elected as Member of Parliament from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency.[13]

Following the death of his father in September 2009, he started efforts to take up the political legacy left by his father. The majority of the legislators favoured him to be appointed as the Chief Minister, but this choice was not approved by party leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

Six months after his father's death, he began an odarpu yatra (condolence tour), as promised earlier, to go and meet the families of those alleged to have either committed suicide or suffered ill health on the news of his father's death. The Congress party's central leadership directed him to call off his odarpu yatra, an order which he defied leading to a fallout between the high command and himself. He went ahead with the yatra, stating that it was a personal matter.[14]

2019–present: Chief Minister

Reddy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

In the 2019 National and State election held in April and May 2019, YSR Congress Party swept the polls and won 151 of the total 175 assembly seats and 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh. He took oath as the Chief Minister on 30 May 2019.[27] His chief ministership has been marked by a slew of welfare schemes such as Jagananna Amma Vodi, Navaratnalu.[28] Jagananna Amma Vodi provides financial assistance for mothers or guardians from the Below Poverty Line, to educate their children.[29][30] Navaratnalu is a collection of nine welfare schemes covering farmers, women, medical and health, education and Special Category Status.[28] He scrapped the plans for a new capital at Amaravati, proposed by the former TDP government, and has proposed three different capitals for the judicial, administrative and legislative branches at Kurnool, Amaravati and Visakhapatnam respectively.[31] The proposal resulted in widespread protests by the farmers of Amaravati.[32] The Andhra Pradesh High Court in a March 2022 ruling directed the Government of Andhra Pradesh to continue developing Amaravati and adjudicated that the government "lacked the competence to make any legislation for shifting, bifurcating or trifurcating the capital".[33]

As of April 2023, it was reported by the Association for Democratic Reforms that he was the richest Chief Minister in India, with a total assets of 510 crore.[34][35][36]

On 27 May 2012, Reddy was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on embezzlement charges. CBI summoned Reddy for allegedly amassing huge assets through illegal means by using his father's office, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, when he was the chief minister. CBI and ED has also summoned 58 companies of investing in Reddy's businesses, for the favours they allegedly received in the form of mining leases, allotments of projects.[37] His judicial custody was extended repeatedly as the investigation proceeded.[38][39][40] The Supreme Court of India dismissed his Bail petition on 4 July 2012,[41][42] 9 August 2012, 7 November 2012,[43] 9 May 2013,[44] 13 May 2013.[45][46]

The YSR Congress Party and Reddy's family have been alleging a political conspiracy behind Reddy's investigations.[47][48] While in jail, Reddy started a hunger strike opposing the United Progressive Alliance's decision to endorse the creation of a separate Telangana state. After 125 hours of indefinite hunger strike, his sugar levels and blood pressure were down. He was moved to Osmania General Hospital for treatment.[49][50][51] His mother, Vijayamma, was also on hunger strike protesting the formation of Telangana.[52] After his release, Reddy called for a 72-hour bandh protesting the formation of Telangana.[53] Both Reddy and his mother resigned from their legislatures opposing the decision favouring the formation of Telangana.[54]

Reddy founded the Telugu daily newspaper Sakshi and the television channel Sakshi TV.[55] He also served as the chief promoter of Bharathi Cements.[56]

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