On Saturday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu slammed YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of blocking the wedding of his niece, Anjili, at the family’s Yelahanka Palace in Bengaluru on November 25. The claim centres on a decision by Jagan to refuse use of the palace, citing “serious security concerns.”
An official letter from Jagan to his younger sister Sharmila, the bride’s mother and APCC president, explains that heightened security risks surrounding the palace and a strained relationship with Sharmila prompted the ban. The letter, released by the YSR Congress Party, argues that the venue’s proximity to political hotspots would endanger guests.
Naidu, meanwhile, likened Jagan to the mythic “Kansa” of the Mahabharata, accusing him of acting against family interests and sowing unrest in multiple districts during the ongoing local body polls. He presented video clips of alleged clashes in Punganur, Rayachoti, and Tirupati to bolster his claim.
In response, the YSR Congress Party denounced the remarks as a personal attack, asserting that Naidu’s focus on the palace affair is a diversion from the violence allegedly perpetrated by TDP cadres during the elections. The party said the allegations misrepresent the situation and pledged to defend its record in court.
The dispute arrives just weeks before Andhra Pradesh’s local body elections, and both sides have signalled a willingness to bring the issue before the Election Commission and the judiciary. The next week will see the Election Commission reviewing the allegations while the parties prepare for a potential legal showdown.