The much-talked-about merger of Y. S. Sharmila’s YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) with the Congress might be put on hold till the Telangana State Assembly elections conclude.
Highly placed sources in the Congress say the proposed merger is seen as a win-win situation by the Congress leadership and Ms. Sharmila. However, the leaders at the helm of the Congress in New Delhi want to exercise prudence while working out the modalities, especially in view of the Telangana Assembly election, likely to be held by this year-end.
The decision to delay Ms. Sharmila’s entry into the Congress is said to have been taken after Telangana Congress president A. Revanth Reddy conveyed to the party leadership about his concern that the move might mar the party’s poll prospects, as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders were bound to take advantage of it by whipping up Andhra Pradesh-Telangana sentiment.
Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the late Chief Minister of the undivided Andhra Pradesh, represented Pulivendula Assembly constituency in Kadapa district and Y. S. Sharmila, being his daughter, is also seen as a native of Andhra Pradesh. The Telangana Congress leaders fear that Ms. Sharmila’s entry at a time when the party is gaining traction on the eve of the elections may harm its chances to win at the hustings.
Reports indicate that the Congress leadership is of the view that Ms. Sharmila’s services could be utilised to re-kindle life in the Andhra Pradesh unit of the party, which is currently a rudderless ship.
Party leaders cite the major role played by Ms. Sharmila in taking the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to the people through her ‘Maro Praja Prasthanam’ padayatra in 2012-13, when her brother Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was in jail for over a year in the disproportionate assets cases.
Praja Prasthanam padayatra
But Ms. Sharmila doesn’t seem to be keen on returning to Andhra Pradesh, at least at this point. Her repeated claims of being ‘Telangana Kodalu (daughter-in-law)’, her 4,000-km Praja Prasthanam padayatra in an effort to connect with the people of all the 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana before the State elections, and her recent announcement that she will resume and complete the padayatra in Palair constituency of Khammam district, speak a different story.
She has promised the people that she will effectively implement all the welfare schemes introduced by her father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy if her party is voted to power. Ms. Sharmila is said to be eager to enter the election race from Palair constituency as Khammam has a large number of YSR loyalists.
‘Right fit for Andhra Pradesh unit’
Senior Congress leaders, however, feel that YSR’s daughter will be the right fit for the Andhra Pradesh unit which is witnessing a political vacuum and Ms. Sharmila could help fill that void. Some of them say that the Congress is a national party and her services could be utilised in both the Telugu-speaking States, which will face elections in a gap of six months.
“She (Ms. Sharmila) can be made a star campaigner. In Andhra Pradesh, her entry will divide the legacy of YSR, adding to the existing anti-incumbency factor. This is bound to benefit the Congress,” said a senior party leader.
