Vijayamma's announcement came at the the YSRCP plenary.
In a dramatic turn of events on the first day of a mega meeting of Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party, its honorary president YS Vijayalakshmi, popularly referred to as Vijayamma, announced that she was quitting her post.
She said she was going to "stand with" the political campaign led by her daughter YS Sharmila in neighbouring Telangana, whose party shares frosty ties with her brother's outfit.
The announcement came at the end of her speech on Thursday at the YSRCP plenary being held after five years at Guntur in the presence of her son, party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
"There was so much speculation, rumour-mongering and unnecessary controversy about me standing with my daughter YS Sharmila who is fighting a solitary battle in Telangana to do her bit to realise YS Rajasekhar Reddy's dreams for the people of Telangana. So, I have decided to quit the YSRCP to put an end to the unnecessary controversy about differences within the family or talk about conflict of interest," she said.
"I am confident YS Jagan will be re-elected as Chief Minister here again. I was with my son during his difficult times. Now they are good times. I feel guilty if I don't stand with my daughter. So, hearing the voice of my conscience, I am quitting my honorary president post. I will continue to be with my son as his mother and with the people of Andhra Pradesh," Vijayamma said.
She said that she understood that in matters of bifurcation, including water-sharing disputes, the two parties would have different stands with the welfare of people in the respective states in mind. So, it would not be correct for her to continue with both parties.
The two parties have maintained their distance from the start. Even before YS Sharmila launched her YSR Telangana party, after announcing her intent to start a political party in Telangana, the YSRCP had issued a statement clarifying that the party or YS Jagan Reddy had nothing to do with it.
Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 after a years-long campaign by the people of the region, and things between the two states have always been smooth.