Is AP Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on a mission mode to cut his once-closest associate and current Rajya Sabha member Vijaya Sai Reddy to size? Those in the know say Yes. The YSRCP watchers say there is a concerted attempt to downsize Vijaya Sai’s importance in the party.

Highly placed sources say that Vijaya Sai Reddy may not be re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha this time. Vijaya Sai’s term is all set to expire and he would be left with no post if he is not re-nominated again. But, sources say that Vijaya Sai’s name may not figure in the list of the four Rajya Sabha vacancies. In all probability, YS Jagan might ask him to stand down.

There is a lot of disquiet within the party over the way Vijaya Sai is building his image in New Delhi. There are also questions about his closeness to the RSS and the BJP circles. His recent act of posing for a selfie with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is said to have incensed YS Jagan. Vijaya Sai made a dash to Narsapur, where the RSS chief was boarding a train and held discussions with him for some time before clicking a selfie. Jagan is also said to be unhappy with the way Viajay Sai was trying to throw his weight around in North Andhra. Hence, it is likely that Vijaya Sai would be denied a Rajya Sabha re-nomination.

There would be four Rajya Sabha seats up for grabs and the YSRCP is set to take all of them as it has the bulldozer majority in the AP Assembly. If sources are to be believed, Nellore politician Beeda Mastan Rao would be given one seat. A Kamma leader from the party is likely to be given another seat. Meanwhile, there is a buzz that one seat could be given to a nominee of industrialist Goutham Adani. Jagan has already made Parimal Nathwani, an Ambani nominee, as Rajya Sabha MP.