Vijayasai Reddy launches a new political party in Andhra Pradesh

TL;DR in 30 sec

• Former YSRCP Rajya Sabha member V. Vijayasai Reddy launched a new party, the PRP, in Vijayawada on Wednesday, 11 November, The Hindu reported.
• He said the party’s main aim is to end the dominance of two political families in Andhra Pradesh, according to The Hindu.
• He said the PRP will contest all 175 Assembly seats in the state, The Hindu reported.
• He said he has no wish to become Chief Minister and wants to build leaders among young people, Telangana Today reported.

What happened

Vijayasai Reddy named the party and unveiled its flag at an event in Vijayawada, Telangana Today reported. The flag has saffron at the top and white at the bottom, with a wheel in the middle, according to Telangana Today. The Hindu described the wheel as a Dharma Chakra.

The reports spell the party’s name two ways. The Hindu calls it the Parivartana Rajaneethi Party, while The Indian Express and Telangana Today call it the Parivartan Rajniti Party. All three use the short form PRP. He launched it with the slogan ‘Desham Kosam Dharmam Kosam’ (For the nation and dharma), Telangana Today reported.

“Should the Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs come only from these two families?” he asked, according to The Hindu. He wants leadership to come from public support and ability, not inheritance, the newspaper reported. He named Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and himself as leaders whom people have the right to question.

He said he would act as a “margadarshi” (mentor) to the party and cited Bal Thackeray in Maharashtra and Kanshi Ram in Uttar Pradesh as examples, The Hindu reported. “It is an alternative party for Telugu people,” he said, as quoted by The Indian Express.

Why it matters for India 🇮🇳

Andhra Pradesh is governed by an alliance of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Jana Sena Party and the BJP, with the YSRCP in opposition, The Indian Express reported. Vijayasai Reddy said people in the state were disillusioned with both the TDP and the YSRCP, which left room for a new alternative, according to Telangana Today.

Before the launch, he told PTI that his party would work with the Union government, whichever party was in power at the Centre, to seek justice for the people of Andhra Pradesh, ThePrint reported. The Indian Express reported that he had taken a relatively conciliatory approach towards the NDA government at the Centre and often praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also said he would raise with Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy the removal of 26 castes from the Backward Classes list in Telangana, The Hindu reported.

Background

Vijayasai Reddy was the YSRCP’s national general secretary and its leader in the Rajya Sabha, and was long seen as Jagan Mohan Reddy’s closest aide, The Hindu reported. He lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Nellore, according to The Hindu.

In January 2025, he resigned from the YSRCP and the Rajya Sabha and said he was retiring from active politics, The Indian Express and Telangana Today reported. Then, on 7 November, he announced that he would launch a party on 11 November. A priest had chosen the date, he said, ThePrint reported, citing PTI.

Before the launch, he criticised the state government over delays in government employees’ salaries, unemployment and low pay for teachers, according to The Indian Express.

Different perspectives

Vijayasai Reddy said both the ruling party and the opposition have failed to meet people’s basic needs, The Hindu reported. “They should question the wrong and appreciate good work,” he said of voters, as quoted by Telangana Today. He also said the coming days would see a strong public reaction against those in power, according to The Hindu.

The Indian Express wrote that the party’s prospects remain uncertain: the TDP-Jana Sena Party-BJP alliance remains politically strong, and the YSRCP keeps a sizeable support base.

The sources carried no response to the launch from the TDP, the YSRCP or the Jana Sena Party.

Open questions 🤔

• Is the party’s official English name Parivartan Rajniti Party or Parivartana Rajaneethi Party?
• Has the PRP applied to the Election Commission of India to register as a political party?
• How will the TDP, the YSRCP and the Jana Sena Party respond to the new party?

What to watch next

The sources reported no date for the PRP’s next public event. Vijayasai Reddy has said the party will contest all 175 Assembly seats, according to The Hindu.