Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to Nellore quickly turned chaotic as crowds gathered in defiance of police restrictions. What was supposed to be a quiet visit to meet jailed party leader Kakani Govardhan Reddy ended up becoming a loud political demonstration.
Jagan arrived in Nellore by helicopter and went straight to the Central Jail for a private meeting with Kakani. Only three visitors were allowed inside, as per the police. After the meeting, Jagan visited the home of former MLA Prasanna Kumar Reddy.
While the police had set clear limits on the number of people allowed at each location, YSRCP supporters showed up in large numbers. At the R&B guest house, Prasanna Kumar Reddy protested against the police for not allowing party workers to join. This led to pushing and shoving between the police and supporters, followed by a minor lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
The situation worsened near Prasanna’s house, where a large number of YSRCP workers gathered, creating tension. As Jagan’s convoy moved through the area, he was seen waving and asking supporters to follow. This led to a stampede-like situation. Some people fell, barricades were broken, and even police officers were caught in the chaos. A constable from the special branch, Malakondayya, was injured after being trampled. He suffered a broken hand and is now receiving treatment at a private hospital.
Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha criticised Jagan’s actions, saying that these visits are less about support and more about political showmanship. She said that while the government has no issue with visits of concern, Jagan’s team failed to inform the police properly and violated all agreed conditions. She also reminded that Jagan had once run over an elderly man with his convoy and is now visiting a leader who made degrading comments about women.
Many are questioning the pattern behind these visits. When Jagan was in power, most of his meetings were low-profile. Now, after losing office, he seems to be using every opportunity to show strength by bringing in large crowds and breaking rules. This isn’t the first time, similar scenes were seen in Palnadu, Prakasam, Anantapur and Chittoor districts during his recent tours.
Locals in Nellore were also upset, especially near the Rajarajeshwari temple where a two-day ritual was taking place. Devotees and patients at the nearby government hospital faced traffic jams and inconvenience due to the crowd and blocked roads.
For many, this visit raised the question: is it really about concern for party leaders, or just a strategy to stay in the spotlight?
