Even though the All India Congress Committee (AICC) is keen on Y.S. Sharmila, president of YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP), joining the grand old party, once led by her father late Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy, there is confusion over whether she would merge YSRTP or join Congress formally.
Reliable sources said she had a long conversation with AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal recently in New Delhi supported by Telangana Congress leaders including Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, making her entry easy and controversy-free.
The loyalists of Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy, the late Chief Minister of the combined Andhra Pradesh, are keen on bringing her onto the Congress platform to tap the YSR fans’ base in Telangana which is quite huge. The strong YSR loyalists in Telangana backed the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the last elections due to various factors including the Congress poll-alliance with the Telugu Desham Party (TDP).
Their anger towards Congress was still high given the way the party treated Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was fighting his do-or-die battle with the TDP in the new Andhra Pradesh. Emotionally too, YSR fans in Telangana were with YSR Jagan and their inherent hatred of the TDP had an impact on Congress in Telangana. However, that anger has subsided now with the TDP not being a strong contender in Telangana.
With Ms.Sharmila in Congress, this big chunk of voters in several constituencies would shift to Congress where YSR spent his entire political life and served in all positions before becoming the Chief Minister. They are not only big in number but also quite influential with strong and deep pockets. “Their heart is with YSR and they will definitely back Sharmila if she joins Congress,” a YSR loyalist in the Congress revealed.
Though not opposed to Sharmila joining the party, a section of Congress leaders is still apprehensive about her entry into Telangana politics as Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao might create an atmosphere to embarrass Congress politically. “Voters may not be swayed by the Telangana sentiment this time as Mr.KCR himself has entered A.P. politics, renaming the TRS as Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) but we have to be cautious,” another YSR loyalist in the Congress argued.
Two options
Sources said Ms.Sharmila is being asked to consider two options — joining the Congress individually by disbanding the YSR Telangana Party or merging the same with the Congress. It opens two paths for her in the future — to play an active role and contest in Telangana where she was born and brought up, and later, reviving the Congress party in A.P. if need be.
The AICC is keen that she takes on an active role in A.P. as well to rejuvenate the party that has taken a huge beating after the State was bifurcated. The loyal Congressmen moved to YSR Congress Party led by A.P. Chief Minister Mr.Jagan Mohan Reddy. Several leaders also moved to the TDP for better political opportunities.
Sharmila in record book
Representatives of the Indian Book of Records have recognised her recent padayatra of 3,800 km in Telangana as the biggest so far and a certificate was handed over to her in recognition of the feat. She is the first person and also the first woman to go on such a walkathon.
Ms.Sharmila began her padayatra called ‘Maro Praja Prasthanam’ on October 20, 2021, at Chevella in Rangareddy district and covered over 3,800 km till February 19. She had planned to cover 4,111 km and conclude at Palair constituency in Khammam district on March 5. However, she was forced to terminate the yatra on February 19 abruptly at Mahabubabad with the police refusing her permission, fearing violence for her inflammatory comments against local Legislator Shankar Naik and also the Chief Minister.
Interestingly, this was not her first padayatra. When her brother and A.P. CM Jagan Mohan Reddy was jailed, she held a 3,000 km padayatra from Idupulapaya in Kadapa district to Ichapuram in Srikakulam district covering 2,250 villages and 116 Assembly constituencies, between October 18, 2012, and August 4, 2013.
