Y. S. Vijayamma
Yeduguri Sandinti Vijayalakshmi (born 19 April 1956), better known as Y. S. Vijaya, is an Indian politician from the Rayalaseema region of Andhra pradesh. She served as an MLA representing Pulivendla constituency.[1] She was the chairperson of the YSR Congress Party from 2011 to 2022. Her husband, Y. S. Rajashekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, served as the 14th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.[2] Her son Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, is the 17th and current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.[3][4]
Y. S. Vijaya | |
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Chairperson of YSR Telangana Party | |
Assumed office 8 July 2022 | |
Preceded by | Office established |
Chairperson of YSR Congress Party | |
In office 12 March 2011 – 8 July 2022 | |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
Member of Andhra Legislative Assembly | |
In office 13 May 2011 – 23 May 2014 | |
Preceded by | Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy |
Succeeded by | Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy |
Constituency | Pulivendla |
Personal details | |
Born | Balapanuru, YSR Kadapa District, Andhra State, (present-day Andhra Pradesh) India | 19 April 1956
Political party | YSR Telangana Party (since from 8 July 2022) |
Other political affiliations | YSR Congress Party (2011-2022) and Indian National Congress (before 2011) |
Spouse | |
Children | Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy (son) Y. S. Sharmila (daughter) |
Relatives | Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy (brother in law) Y. S. Raja Reddy (father in law) |
Residence(s) | Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, India |
Early life
She was born to Pochamreddy Ramanjula Reddy and Tulasamma in the village of Chimalavagula Palli, Tadipatri Taluk. She married Reddy while he pursued his medical career. The couple has two children, Jaganmohan Reddy and Sharmila.
Family tree
Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy family | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career
She was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly as an unopposed Indian National Congress candidate in the by-election held to Pulivendula constituency in December 2009 to fill the vacancy caused by her husband's death.[5] She lost the LS election for Visakhapatnam seat in 2014.
The humiliation meted out to the YSR family by the Congress high command provoked the family member Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy, against Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to threaten him politically. YS Vijaya quit the Congress party and assembly membership along with her son who also quit both the party and his MP seat on 29 Nov 2010.[6]
Vijayalakshmi and her son Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy were again elected to the assembly and Lok Sabha respectively in the by-elections held on 8 May 2011. Both of them fought the by-elections on behalf of the fledgling YSR Congress Party founded by her son on 12 March 2011.[7]
In the by-polls to the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula assembly seats, Jagan Mohan Reddy and Vijayalakshmi retained the seats respectively, but as YSRCP candidates with record majorities. Jagan Mohan Reddy won the Kadapa seat with an all-time record majority of 543,053 votes, while YS Vijaya won the Pulivendula seat with a record margin of 85,191 votes.[8]
Later, by undertaking the poll campaign along with her daughter Y. S. Sharmila Reddy, YS Vijaya guided the YSR Congress Party to an unprecedented victory in the June 2012 by-polls in which their party won 15 of the 18 assembly seats [9] for which the polls were held in the absence of her son Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Political agitation
Vijayalakshmi went on repeated hunger strikes, protesting various policies such as a power tariff hike[10] and the Government's reluctance to release funds towards fee reimbursement of college students.[11] She participated in agitations on several occasions fighting on behalf of farmers and women and seeking justice on many an issue including Samaikyandhra agitation with an indefinite fast demanding the Government of India to keep Andhra Pradesh united.[12]
References
- "Vijayamma elected, to fill the gap by her deceased husband". Times of India. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- "About YS Vijayamma, the woman behind Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party". Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party. 20 May 2019.
- "Meet the YSRCP Honorary President, Vijayamma". Sakshi. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- "Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party President Vijayamma meets Pranab Mukherjee". The Economic Times. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- YSR widow elected unopposed
- Jaganmohan Reddy resigns from Congress
- Jagan formally launches YSR Congress
- Record-breaking win for Jagan in Kadapa election
- 2012 Andhra Pradesh by-election
- "Vijayalakshmi leads state wide protests". www.ysrcongress.com. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- "Vijayamma calls off 2-day Fees Deeksha". www.ysrcongress.com. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- Vijayalakshmi participates in Jantar Mantar dharna