YS Sharmila Reddy, the daughter of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, has declared that on July 8, her father’s birthday, she will launch her political party in Telangana.
Ms Sharmila’s mother, YS Vijayalakshmi, praised her decision, saying she was pleased her daughter had chosen to serve the people of Telangana. She went on to say that her daughter possessed the same bravery as her father.
This was said at a Sankalpa Sabha, or public meeting, in Khammam on Friday evening, following a major car rally from Hyderabad to the border district, where the YSR Congress, led by brother of Ms Sharmila YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, did well in elections after Telangana was formed.
Right after his younger sister made a public announcement about being politically active in Telangana, Jagan Mohan Reddy has distanced himself from her plans.
On July 8, Ms Sharmila party’s name, logo, flag, and ideology will be revealed. Telangana will hold legislative elections in 2023.
“Singham eppudu single gane vasthundi,” she said, quoting a popular Rajinikanth line from the film Sivaji and comparing herself to a lone lion.
She also said that she had not come at the request of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), or the Congress, but rather that she would be an arrow aimed at all three parties on behalf of the people.
More About Ms Sharmila:
Ms Sharmila will go on a three-day hunger strike on behalf of the unemployed youth on April 15, demanding that the TRS government fill 1.91 lakh work vacancies. In Telangana, this has been a contentious political problem.
Ms Sharmila, in an attempt to deflect criticism that she was not a Telangana native (YSR was born in Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh), claimed that she had grown up, educated, and given birth to her children in the state. She declared that she adored Telangana and would never behave against the state’s best interests.
“I will not allow even one drop of water that should come to Telangana go to another state,” she said.
Water has long been a source of contention between the former Andhra Pradesh regions of Telangana and Andhra.
Politically, there has been debate about who Ms Sharmila could support or injure. It’s likely that the Reddys, who wielded political power in Telangana under the Congress, would rally behind her. Aside from those who respected her father, she could also appeal to the SC/ST vote.
