It has been more or less confirmed that YSR Telangana Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Y S Sharmila is going to merge her party with the Congress.
She has been dropping enough hints to this effect by showering praises on former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on social media, while refusing to deny the media reports over her entry into the Congress.
Even senior leaders like K V P Ramachandra Rao have openly declared that Sharmila would join the Congress party sooner or later. AICC in-charge of Telangana affairs Manikrao Thakre, too, said talks were on to bring Sharmila into the Congress.
However, it is surprising why Sharmila is dodging on making an announcement to this effect.
There were reports that the Congress high command wanted her to take the mantle in Andhra Pradesh and rejuvenate the party there, instead of being one among many in Telangana, which is why there is a delay.
Sources said one of the main reasons for the delay in Sharmila’s entry into the Congress party is stiff resistance from Telangana Congress president A Revanth Reddy, who apparently fears Sharmila would emerge as a power centre within the party.
Revanth reportedly told some close confidants during his visit to the USA that Sharmila’s entry would create a big headache for him and other seniors.
“She will not confine herself to an MLA or an MP post. She will try to create her own group, invoking her father Y S Rajasekhar Reddy’s name,” he is learnt to have said.
Secondly, he is of the view that Sharmila might prove counter-productive to the Telangana Congress, as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi may use it to its advantage by whipping up Telangana sentiment, as it had done in 2019 showing the TDP as an Andhra party.
“If she is interested in coming into the Congress, it is better for her to go to Andhra Pradesh and fight against his brother,” Revanth reportedly said.
Needless to say, he feels Sharmila going to Andhra will indirectly help the TDP led by his former boss N Chandrababu Naidu!
