Kadapa, Mar 27 (IANS): Sounding the poll bugle, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday embarked on 'Memanta Siddham' bus yatra from Idupulapaya in his home district Kadapa.

After paying tributes to his late father, former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy at YSR Ghat in Idupulapaya and seeking the blessings of his mother Y. S. Vijayamma and leaders of various faiths, the Chief Minister began the bus yatra.

The bus carrying Jagan Mohan Reddy and other leaders of YSR Congress Party started from Idupulapaya in his home constituency Pulivendula constituency. It traversed through different places including Vempalli, Sarvarajupeta, VN Palli (Kamalapuram constituency), Yerraguntla, Proddatur and Potladurthi (Jammalamadugu constituency).

Enroute hundreds of people including women welcomed the Chief Minister. At a few places Jagan Mohan Reddy stood on top of the bus to greet the people with folded hands.

With the bus yatra, the YSR Congress chief launched the party’s campaign for May 13 elections to state Assembly and Lok Sabha.

Following the public meeting, the yatra will proceed to the night camp situated on the Allagadda bypass road of Nandyal district, passing through Sunnapurallapalli, Duvvur, Jillela, Nagalapadu, Bodhanam, Rampalle Cross, and Chagalamarri.

Jagan Mohan Reddy’s bus yatra will be covering Nandyal and Kurnool districts on Thursday. He will interact with people at Yerraguntla in Allagadda on Thursday and address a public meeting at Nandyal on the same day.

Simultaneous elections to the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats are scheduled on May 13.

In the 2019 elections, YSRCP bagged 151 Assembly and 22 Lok Sabha seats.

The ruling party, which is going alone, has already announced its candidates. This time the party is locked in a direct fight with the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance.