YS Jagan-Sharmila Rift: Why A Niece’s Wedding Has Triggered Another Family Dispute

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has reportedly refused to allow his niece’s wedding to be held at the family’s Yelahanka Palace in Bengaluru in November, deepening his ongoing dispute with his sister, YS Sharmila.

Sharmila, the Andhra Pradesh Congress chief, wanted her daughter YS Anjili Reddy’s wedding to Somala Raghurami Reddy, who lives in the United States, to take place at the property on November 25. The couple got engaged on September 24.

People familiar with the matter told the Hindustan Times that Jagan’s refusal was linked to a long-running dispute over family assets, including shares in Saraswati Power and Industries Ltd.

Why Jagan Refused The Wedding Venue

According to a Sharmila aide quoted by Hindustan Times, Jagan conveyed his decision through their mother, YS Vijayamma, saying the property was registered in the name of his wife, Bharati Reddy.

Vijayamma reportedly tried to persuade him to reconsider, but he remained firm.

The decision has left Sharmila looking for an alternative venue after invitations had already been distributed to relatives, political leaders and other prominent personalities.

The aide said invitations had also been sent to senior Congress leaders, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Sharmila will now have to find another venue that can accommodate the expected guests and meet the security and logistical requirements associated with their attendance, the aide said.

The Family Property Dispute

The disagreement over the wedding venue comes amid a wider dispute between the siblings over family assets. According to Hindustan Times, the two have been at odds over properties, including shares in Saraswati Power and Industries Ltd, for around five years. The matter is pending before the National Company Law Tribunal.

People close to Sharmila told the newspaper that their late father, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, wanted his son and daughter to receive equal shares in the family properties. They also said he had arranged separate residences for them in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Idupulapaya.

In Hyderabad’s Lotus Pond locality, the siblings’ houses are next to each other, and Sharmila continues to live in her residence there. Separate houses were also reportedly built for them at Idupulapaya, their family’s native place.

The Bengaluru property has also been part of the dispute. The family reportedly has two houses adjoining each other across approximately 20 acres in Yelahanka.

According to Sharmila’s aide, however, the house intended for her was never registered in her name. The aide said Rajasekhara Reddy used to stay there during his visits to Bengaluru, while Jagan continues to use his palace there during his weekly visits.

How The Rift Between Jagan And Sharmila Widened

The differences between the siblings have deepened over the years following Rajasekhara Reddy’s death in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009.

Sharmila played a prominent role in the YSR Congress Party’s early years. She undertook a foot march when Jagan was in jail between 2012 and 2013 and campaigned for the party ahead of the 2019 elections.

However, relations deteriorated after Jagan became Andhra Pradesh chief minister in 2019, with disagreements over family assets adding to the rift.

Sharmila subsequently launched a political party in Telangana before joining the Congress in 2024. She was later appointed the party’s Andhra Pradesh unit chief and has since frequently criticised her brother politically.

The reported refusal to host her daughter’s wedding at Yelahanka Palace has brought the longstanding family and property dispute into focus once again.