Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has refused to allow his niece’s wedding at the family compound, Yelahanka Palace, in Bengaluru in November amid a property dispute with his sister YS Sharmila, people aware of the matter said.
Sharmila’s daughter, YS Anjili Reddy, got engaged to Somala Raghurami Reddy, who lives in the United States, on September 24. People aware of the matter said Sharmila, the Andhra Pradesh Congress chief, wanted to have their wedding on November 25 at Yelahanka Palace.
An aide to Sharmila said Jagan Mohan Reddy conveyed to her through their mother, YS Vijayamma, that he would not allow the wedding at Yelahanka Palace.
“This has come as a big shock to Sharmila, as she had distributed wedding invitations to relatives, political leaders and prominent personalities. Now, she is compelled to look for an alternative venue for the wedding,” said the aide.
The aide quoted Jagan Mohan Reddy telling Vijayamma that the property was registered in the name of his mother-in-law, Bharati Reddy. “Vijayamma tried to persuade him to reconsider his position, but he was firm on his stand,” Sharmila’s aide said.
He added that Sharmila is now left with no alternative but to scramble for another suitable venue. “She has already sent invitations to top Congress leaders in the high command, besides chief ministers including D K Shivakumar of Karnataka and A Revanth Reddy of Telangana, and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin. She has to look for another suitable venue to ensure security and logistical requirements associated with their attendance,” he said.
Jagan Mohan Reddy and Sharmila have been involved in a dispute over family properties, including shares in Saraswati Power and Industries Ltd, for the last five years. The issue is pending adjudication in the National Company Law Tribunal.
People close to Sharmila said the late former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy wanted his son and daughter to receive equal shares in the family’s properties. He arranged for separate residences for them in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Idupulapaya.
In Hyderabad’s Lotus Pond locality, their residences are next to each other. Sharmila continues to live in her house there. Similarly, separate residences were reportedly constructed for the siblings at Idupulapaya, the family’s native place.
Jagan Mohan Reddy is said to have stopped visiting his residence there. Sharmila reportedly stays at hers when she visits Idupulapaya.
In Yelahanka, the family reportedly has two houses constructed next to each other for the siblings across approximately 20 acres. “But the house given to Sharmila was not registered in her name. Rajasekhara Reddy used to stay there whenever he visited Bengaluru. Jagan also has been staying in his palace at Yelahanka during his weekly visits,” Sharmila’s aide said.
Rajasekhara Reddy’s death in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009, left the division of the family’s assets unresolved, leading to disputes between the siblings. The aide said Jagan Mohan Reddy is denying Sharmila a share in the Bengaluru property.
Sharmila played a key role in the YSRCR and undertook a foot march when Jagan Mohan Reddy was in jail between 2012 and 2013. She campaigned for the party before the 2019 elections.
The relationship is said to have deteriorated after Jagan Mohan Reddy became chief minister in 2019. Sharmila was distanced from the party as disagreements over the division of family assets strained relations.
Sharmila floated a party in Telangana before joining the Congress in 2024 and becoming its chief in Andhra Pradesh. She has been attacking her brother politically since.