Andhra Jyothy Managing Director V. Radhakrishna (RK), known for his fiery Sunday column “Kotha Paluku”, once again stirred controversy this week with sharp criticism aimed at YSR Congress Party president and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

In his latest column, RK described Jagan as a “narcissist”, suggesting that the former chief minister suffers from narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) — a psychological condition marked by excessive self-importance and lack of empathy. He accused Jagan of being self-obsessed and detached from reality, especially in light of his recent comments on Cyclone Montha.

Jagan had earlier alleged that the cyclone, which caused severe damage across coastal Andhra Pradesh, was a “man-made disaster” orchestrated by current Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Dismissing the allegation as baseless, RK wrote, “Jagan’s claim that Cyclone Montha was Naidu’s creation is immature and irrational.”

He also ridiculed Jagan for reportedly having his Sakshi media network run headlines portraying him as “the only leader who saved people from the cyclone even without being Chief Minister.” According to RK, such self-praising narratives reflect political insecurity and poor judgment.

At the same time, RK acknowledged Naidu’s administrative efficiency in handling cyclone situations, noting that even critics credit him for mobilizing the government machinery effectively. During Cyclone Montha, Naidu was said to have personally monitored relief measures, while Jagan was reportedly in Bengaluru and returned only after the storm subsided.

However, political observers argue that RK’s critique exposes a double standard. “If Jagan can be called a narcissist for his exaggerated claims, what about Naidu?” one analyst questioned. “Naidu too often projects himself as the architect of Hyderabad’s IT revolution, saying ‘I built Hyderabad,’ ‘I created Cyberabad,’ or ‘I brought Microsoft to India.’ Such statements also reflect an inflated sense of self-importance.”

The analyst further noted that media bias plays a major role in amplifying this trend. “Some pro-Naidu TV channels go so far as to claim that Naidu could even divert the route of super cyclones if he wanted to. Isn’t that media narcissism?” he asked.

In conclusion, analysts observed that narcissism isn’t limited to one leader or one party — it runs deep across the political and media landscape of Andhra Pradesh. “Politicians, parties, and their loyal media outlets all seem trapped in a cycle of self-promotion,” one remarked. “It’s a case of collective narcissism dominating public life.”