Jagan, Sharmila pay tributes to YSR on birth anniversary

Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh), July 8: Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday paid tributes to his father and former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, late YS Rajasekhara Reddy on his 75rd birth anniversary.  

Accompanied by his mother YS Vijayamma, wife YS Bharathi and other family members, YSR Congress Party President, Jagan Mohan Reddy laid a wreath on the late leader’s grave at YSR Ghat at Idupulapaya in YSR Kadapa District.

They participated in the special prayers conducted on the occasion and sat in silence for a few minutes.

YSR Congress MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other leaders also paid tributes to YSR, as the late leader was popularly known.

Jagan Mohan Reddy took to X to pay rich tributes to his father. He wrote that YSR’s birth anniversary was a festive day and that millions of families were remembering him.

“YSR Congress workers, leaders and fans are going ahead with service activities on your birth anniversary. The path you have shown for the welfare of the people is our mainstay. The discipline you have followed throughout your life, the hard work you have done and the courage you have shown in politics are the way for us. We will continue our efforts till the end to realize your dreams and achieve the goal of the welfare of crores of families,” wrote Jagan Mohan Reddy.

YSR’s daughter and state Congress President, YS Sharmila Reddy also paid tributes to the late leader at his grave.

Vijayamma was also present on the occasion.

Sharmila was accompanied by her son, daughter-in-law and other family members.

Sharmila and Jagan Mohan Reddy have been separately attending YSR’s birth and death anniversary events at YSR Ghat ever since differences cropped up between them after he became the Chief Minister in 2019.

YSR Congress suffered a crushing defeat in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Sharmila, who is trying to claim the legacy of YSR, became President of state Congress early this year after merging YSR Telangana Party with the Congress.

“I believe your 75th birthday is splendidly celebrated in heaven Pa. Thank you for all the love you showered on me. Will cherish it close to my heart forever and promise to hold on to your roots, your ideology and your legacy,” wrote Sharmila in her tributes on X.

Sharmila is holding a meeting in Vijayawada later in the day to mark YSR’s birth anniversary.

Telangana Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other Congress leaders are scheduled to attend the meeting.

YSR was the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009.

The Congress leader died in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009, a few months after he led the Congress party to its second-consecutive electoral victory.

Jagan Reddy, who was then a Congress MP, later parted ways with the Congress and floated YSR Congress Party.