Is distance growing between Botsa and YS Jagan?

Is the gap growing between AP chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Vizianagaram strongman and minister Botsa Satyanarayana? What does one make out of the rumours that YS Jagan might replace Botsa in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle? Why is Botsa visiting New Delhi these days without informing even his protocol team? What is happening in the YSRCP bastion in North Andhra?

Botsa was once the blue-eyed boy of late YSR. Impressed by his ability to clean-sweep Vizianagaram in 2004 elections, YSR gave him a plum post in his council of ministers and strongly defended him when Botsa was embroiled in the Volkswagen controversy. After YSR’s death and the 2014 electoral defeat, Botsa joined the YSRCP in 2015. Since then, he remained loyal to YS Jagan.

After a massive victory in 2019, when the YSRCP made a clean sweep of Vizianagaram, Botsa again became a key leader in Jagan’s scheme of things. But, there is one difference. In 2004, Botsa’s word was law in Vizianagaram. But now, it’s different. Botsa does not enjoy the kind of monopoly that he had enjoyed in 2004. In the recent municipal elections, he could not get tickets for his followers. Instead, his rival in the party and Vizianagaram MLA Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy had a field day. These days, Swamy is able to pip past Botsa on organisational issues. This has made Botsa unhappy. Even YS Jagan seems to be favouring Swamy.

Interestingly, Botsa is not part of any committee that YS Jagan has formed on projects and schemes. Botsa sees this as a clear indication that Jagan does not favour him. Recently, he had recommended the transfer of four DSPs in the district. But, Jagan refused to accept the recommendations. All these incidents show that while Jagan gives Botsa a pride of place, he is not allowing Botsa to take reins of Vizianagaram politics into his hands. No wonder, Botsa is unhappy. Indications are that while Botsa may be retained in the cabinet reshuffle, Jagan may make him powerless in his own borough.