Jagan's sister Sharmila hints at entering Telangana politics

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister YS Sharmila today hinted about her possible political entry in Telangana, as she met with her supporters and her late father's sympathisers in Hyderabad. She said she wished to bring back Rajanna Rajyam (Rajasekhar Reddy regime) in the state.

Hyderabad (Telangana): YS Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Tuesday held talks with her late father's sympathisers here, triggering speculations of her possible political entry in Telangana.

Sharmila's father and late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, widely known as YSR, was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. The Congress leader died in a chopper crash in September 2009.

There have been rumours doing rounds on social media for the past few days that Sharmila plans to start a political party in Telangana state without her brother's intervention.

She is believed to be in touch with some of the prominent Congress leaders, who were closely associated with late Rajasekhara Reddy and also his loyalists, eliciting their suggestions and opinion.

"I want to understand the ground realities and to take their suggestions and the information they have.. I called people from Nalgonda district. This is just a connection (with them)," she said.

Read:Telangana Court summons Jagan for violating electoral rules

Sharmila however did not directly respond when asked if she would launch a political party.

"There is no Rajanna Rajyam (Rajasekhar Reddy regime) now. Why it should not come," she said.

Sharmila and her mother Vijayamma had vigorously campaigned for the YSR Congress party during the general elections in 2019.

However, after Jagan's YSRC clinched a landslide victory and he took over the reins of AP, Sharmila was not seen much in public.

Sharmila met sympathisers of Rajasekhara Reddy from the united Nalgonda district at the family's residence at Lotus Pond here.

Though the outcome of the discussions was not officially revealed, several participants said she sought to know about the present political situation in the district.

Read:'Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister misleading people'

Several banners with portraits of Sharmila, Rajasekhar Reddy were erected at the residence. Jagan's image was conspicuously missing in the banners and flex boards.

A YSR Congress worker from Utnoor in Adilabad said he strongly wants Sharmila to float a party in order to bring "Rajanna Rajyam" (Rajasekhar Reddy's regime) in Telangana also.

Though YSRC party has its presence in Telangana, it did not contest in the last general elections.

Sharmila undertook a 'Padayatra' when Jagan was imprisoned in connection with a quid pro quo case in 2012.

(With inputs from PTI)