Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister and Chief of YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) YS Sharmila will likely join the Congress on January 4, 2024.
YS Sharmila and her political career
YS Sharmila is the daughter of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister late CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy. The chief of the party (Sharmila) first came to the limelight while she took up the campaign on the behalf of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) along with her mother YS Vijayamma, in the absence of her elder brother, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
In 2021, the brother-sister duo parted away for having political differences. In April 2021, Sharmila announced to launch of a new political party in July, that is the YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP). But she failed to appeal to the voters’ imagination in Telangana. Her plans to merge her party with the Congress ahead of polls were objected to by the state leaders.
Sharmila as the face of Congress AP?
The role of Sharmila in the party is not yet confirmed. But it is expected that she could be made a general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) or given a nomination for the Rajya Sabha. The source stated that she would meet the top Congress leaders on January 4 and then join the party.
The Chief of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Gidugu Rudraraju has already welcomed her entry, as her stature will revive the party and boost their chance for the upcoming elections.
Are other leaders going to follow suit?
According to the sources, many YSRCP leaders are waiting for her arrival in the state, before she leaves for Delhi, and are likely to extend their support to her. Around 90% of the leaders, who attended the meeting to discuss strategy regarding the upcoming electoral polls, conveyed their views on supporting Sharmila.
Furthermore, the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi told all the leaders to welcome back the leaders who already left the party.
Impact on AP’s politics
Sharmila has never contested any elections so far, but she has played an important role in enhancing the YSRCP’s potential during its initial stage. Meanwhile, the top Congress leaders are trying to contest together with the Telugu Desham Party (TDP) as earlier both parties contested together in the Telangana polls but failed to make any impact on the opposition.
However, the arrival of a young leader like Sharmila could re-energize the party and its leaders. Her entry might weaken the YSRCP for the upcoming elections and might be a challenge for other opposition parties.
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