New Delhi: YS Sharmila, the founder of YSR Telangana Party and daughter of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, officially joined the Congress party in a ceremony held in New Delhi. The event was attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi. During the announcement, Sharmila declared the merger of her party, YSR Telangana Party, with the Congress and expressed her willingness to take on any responsibility assigned to her within the party.
Addressing party workers and supporters at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Sharmila conveyed her happiness about the consolidation of political forces. She stated, “Today, I am very happy to be merging YSR Telangana Party into the Congress party. It gives me immense joy that the YSR Telangana Party is going to be a part of the Indian National Congress from today onwards.”
Sharmila also shared her late father’s aspiration to see Rahul Gandhi become the Prime Minister of India, expressing her satisfaction in contributing to that vision. She said, “It was my father’s dream to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of our country, and I am very glad that I am going to be a part of making that happen.”
The strategic move of merging YSR Telangana Party with Congress is perceived as an effort to strengthen the Congress party in Telangana and build a united front ahead of the upcoming state elections. Sharmila had previously supported the Congress party during the recent assembly elections in Telangana, where she played a crucial role in garnering support.
Explaining her support for Congress, Sharmila emphasized that the Congress party stood a better chance of winning in the Telangana Assembly elections. She criticized the incumbent Chief Minister KCR, alleging that he had not fulfilled promises made during his nine-year tenure. Sharmila acknowledged the risk of affecting Congress’s vote bank but stressed her commitment to preventing KCR from returning to power. In the previous Telangana assembly elections, the Congress party emerged victorious with Sharmila’s support. Notably, YSR Telangana Party, operating as an unrecognized regional party based in Andhra Pradesh, did not have any elected representatives in the state or Parliament.
Read More: