When will Kethireddy come out of this illusion? This question is being asked as YSR Congress leaders continue to reject the 2024 election verdict and repeat allegations of EVM tampering.
Former Dharmavaram MLA Kethireddy Venkat Rami Reddy is one such leader who appears unwilling to accept the result. He continues to project denial despite the clear mandate.
In a recent interview, Kethireddy repeated the same narrative. He questioned the BJP’s past vote share in Dharmavaram and made remarks targeting Minister Satya Kumar’s familiarity with the constituency.
He claimed that the BJP never crossed 600 votes in five elections in Dharmavaram. He also said the Minister could not even identify villages in the constituency despite holding office for two years.
Kethireddy’s comments reflect denial rather than reflection. Wave elections often produce ruthless outcomes where even established leaders are defeated without mercy.
Being active on YouTube or conducting live sessions does not guarantee public approval. In Indian elections, party sentiment often outweighs individual candidates.
With strong anti-incumbency against Jagan Mohan Reddy, Kethireddy’s defeat was not unexpected. Public anger tends to sweep away multiple leaders in such waves.
Indian electoral history is full of such surprises. In the 1989 elections, Congress leader J Chitranjan Das defeated N T Rama Rao in Kalvakurthi.
At that time, even Chandrababu Naidu believed Dharmavaram was unwinnable and allowed the BJP to contest it. Congress fielded Chitranjan Das, and history was made.
In the 2009 elections, Bangaru Usha Rani defeated Chiranjeevi in Palakollu. She earned the title of giant killer despite being relatively unknown.
In 2019, Pawan Kalyan lost both seats he contested. These defeats underline how wave elections can humble even the most popular leaders.
In 1989, Congress jumped from 50 seats to 181. In 2009, YSR’s comfortable second-term victory reflected a one-sided contest despite a three-way fight.
In 2019, Jagan Mohan Reddy swept the state with 151 out of 175 seats. Such waves leave little room for individual resistance.
When leaders like NTR, Chiranjeevi, and Pawan Kalyan could be defeated, Kethireddy’s loss is hardly extraordinary. The real issue lies in refusing to acknowledge reality.
YSR Congress leaders appear blinded by power and a sense of invincibility. They are struggling to accept the verdict of a strong anti-incumbency wave.
Unless they recognise this truth, learning lessons and planning a political comeback will remain impossible.
