Yeduguri Sandinti Vijayalakshmi (born 19 April 1956), better known as Y. S. Vijayamma, 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 as previously 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 Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.[3][4] Her daughter, Y. S. Sharmila is a politician from the Indian National Congress.
Early life
editShe 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
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Career
editShe 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 November 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
editVijayalakshmi 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
edit- ^ "Vijayamma elected, to fill the gap by her deceased husband". Times of India. 5 December 2009. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ "About YS Vijayamma, the woman behind Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party". Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party. 20 May 2019. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Meet the YSRCP Honorary President, Vijayamma". Sakshi. 2 September 2019. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party President Vijayamma meets Pranab Mukherjee". The Economic Times. 26 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ "YSR widow elected unopposed". The Times of India. 6 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 December 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Jaganmohan Reddy resigns from Congress". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Jagan formally launches YSR Congress". Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Record-breaking win for Jagan in Kadapa election". Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ 2012 Andhra Pradesh by-election
- ^ "Vijayalakshmi leads state wide protests". www.ysrcongress.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ "Vijayamma calls off 2-day Fees Deeksha". www.ysrcongress.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ "Vijayalakshmi participates in Jantar Mantar dharna". Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
External links
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