VIJAYAWADA/HYDERABAD: After protracted negotiations, YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) president and late YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s daughter YS Sharmila on Thursday merged her party with the Congress and declared her readiness to work for the grand old party, whether in Andhra Pradesh or the Andamans.
Sharmila, sister of YSRC chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, joined the Congress fold in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
Her move comes in the wake of the Congress victory in the recent Assembly elections in Telangana and breathes new life into the party that was uprooted in Andhra Pradesh following the division of the state in 2014.
Speaking on the occasion, Sharmila was effusive in her praise of the Congress. “Today, I am very happy to be merging YSRTP into the Congress party. It gives me immense joy that the YSRTP is going to be a part of the Indian National Congress from today onwards,” she said, adding that the Congress is still the largest secular party in the country.
Recalling her father’s desire to see Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister, she said she would work towards realising his dream like a soldier of the party.Sharmila’s entry into the Congress was long-expected and she had endorsed the party in the Telangana Assembly elections.
To queries from journalists on her role in the Congress, Sharmila replied that everything would be clear in a couple of days. Highly-placed sources told TNIE that she could be made president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee. It appears that she has made up her mind to do the party’s bidding and take any role offered to her.AICC in-charge for AP Manickam Tagore and APCC chief Gidugu Rudra Raju were among those present.
Veteran Cong leaders elated
Veteran Congress leaders in AP are elated with Sharmila ‘coming home’ as they see in her a ‘weapon’ to revive the party in the state. A senior Congress leader said, “She should be given a position… when we have a weapon, we should use it.”The party leaders are also hopeful that Sharmila could bring back some Congress leaders and cadre who joined the YSRC after bifurcation of the state.
Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy has already announced that he would be working with Sharmila. A few other disgruntled leaders from the YSRC are expected to follow suit.Political circles in Andhra are abuzz with speculation that Sharmila could dent the prospects of her brother Jagan’s bid to win the Assembly elections for the second time in a row.
“Minorities, SCs, STs, Christians, and YSR loyalists and admirers who are unhappy with Jagan will surely vote for the Congress now,” said a party leader. However, the YSRC made light of Sharmila’s impact. YSRC senior leader and Mines Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said, “Whoever works against Jagan will be our opposition. Will we chop our limbs just because Sharmila joined another party?”
The main opposition TDP, on the other hand, believes Sharmila would dent the YSRC vote share and not its own.