The Congress high command is said to be extremely unhappy with the functioning style of its Andhra Pradesh unit president, Y S Sharmila, who has done little to revive the party’s prospects in the state over the past year.
The Congress handed over the reins to Sharmila — the estranged sister of YSR Congress party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy — about a year and a half ago, four months before the last general elections, with hopes that she would help rebuild the party’s presence following her brother’s defeat.
However, the party high command recently reviewed the party’s performance in Andhra Pradesh and expressed dissatisfaction.
Complaints have reached Delhi alleging that Sharmila’s efforts have largely been limited to targeting her brother Jagan, rather than working to strengthen the Congress organization.
Several Congress leaders are reportedly upset with Sharmila and have begun organizing independent programs, questioning what concrete measures she has taken to build the party’s base.
While the Congress is aggressively opposing the NDA alliance at the national level, Sharmila is being accused by her own party members of indirectly supporting the NDA coalition in Andhra Pradesh.
Party members have informed the high command that Sharmila appears to be driven by personal animosity towards her brother, targeting Jagan at every opportunity — a strategy they believe offers no political advantage to the Congress.
A senior Congress leader with a key AICC role has reportedly written to the leadership, urging a course correction in Sharmila’s approach, warning that her aggressive stance against Jagan is alienating the public and further damaging the party’s image.
The Congress’ already fragile vote bank in Andhra Pradesh is at risk of further erosion due to Sharmila’s leadership style, according to warnings from within the party. Allegations have surfaced that she is using her position to settle personal scores with her brother.
Adding to the internal discord, AICC member Sunkara Padmasri has emerged as a vocal critic of Sharmila, organizing back-to-back meetings that have drawn attention. District leaders allege that Sharmila is more focused on family disputes than on party affairs.
During her district tours, Padmasri has reportedly collected signatures from Congress leaders and workers demanding action against Sharmila.
Accusations are being made that Sharmila is following a script aligned with the ruling alliance while sparing the actual ruling party from criticism.
At every meeting, Padmasri has questioned why Sharmila targets the opposition while avoiding criticism of the ruling TDP. Sharmila, for her part, seems intent on running the party her own way, despite growing dissent.
Meanwhile, some Congress leaders based in Bengaluru have also submitted complaints to senior party leaders in Delhi about Sharmila’s approach. There are reports that the high command has assured a senior Andhra leader that the issue will soon be addressed.
Amidst this backdrop, there is growing curiosity over what action the Congress party will take in response to the mounting complaints against Sharmila.
