A simmering conflict between former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the state’s police force has erupted into a public standoff, raising questions about political influence, law enforcement autonomy, and the alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
The latest escalation came during a fiery speech by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president, in Raptadu on April 8, where he issued a stern warning to police officers, accusing them of acting as pawns for the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Mr. Reddy’s remarks were sparked by what he described as a failure of the police to address rising crime effectively. Citing a recent incident in Anantapur district, where a man named Lingamayya was allegedly beaten to death with a bat, the former Chief Minister criticized the police for downplaying the case as a minor scuffle gone wrong.
‘The law and order situation has collapsed under Naidu’s watch,’ Mr. Reddy declared to a crowd of supporters. ‘Police are busy shielding the government instead of protecting the people. When we return to power, those crossing the line will face consequences – their uniforms will be stripped off, and they’ll answer to justice,’ he said.
The comments drew an immediate backlash from the Andhra Pradesh Police Officers’ Association, which condemned Jagan Mohan Reddy’s rhetoric as an attempt to intimidate law enforcement. Association president Janakula Srinivasa Rao responded on April 8, stating, ‘Threatening officers who are simply doing their duty is unacceptable. We serve the law, not any individual or party.’ Mr. Rao urged the former CM to retract his statements, warning that such remarks could erode public trust in the police force.
The row comes against the backdrop of a broader political rivalry between Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, intensified since the TDP-led coalition’s landslide victory in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, which reduced the YSRCP to just 11 seats from its previous 151. Since losing power, Mr. Reddy has repeatedly accused the Naidu government of vendetta politics, including the demolition of YSRCP’s under-construction office in Tadepalli last year, an act he claimed defied court orders.
Adding fuel to the fire, Mr. Jagan Reddy’s past legal troubles have resurfaced in the discourse. In July 2024, Andhra Pradesh Police registered an ‘attempt to murder’ case against him and two senior IPS officers, following a complaint by TDP MLA K Raghurama Krishna Raju. MLA Raju alleged custodial torture during his arrest in 2021 under YS Jagan’s administration, a charge the YSRCP dismissed as politically motivated. The case remains under investigation, further straining relations between Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy and the police.