New party in Telangana: Sharmila is on her own says Sajjala

Hyderabad: After Y.S Sharmila, the daughter of late Y.S Raja Shekar Reddy and the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy, decided to step into Telangana politics and hinted at forming a new party, YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said YSRCP has no intention of expanding to other states.

Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has categorically stated that the party will be confined to Andhra Pradesh and will maintain cordial relations with its neighbours, he said, adding the decision to meet leaders from Telanagana is that of Y.S Sharmila alone and the YSRCP is not behind it.

He acknowledged that the party had discussed expanding to other states but said Jagan decided not to leave the state in the larger interests of the people. "There are many issues between the two states that need to be resolved by the governments and this would not be possible if we expand the party to the neighbouring state," he added.

He claimed that YSRCP won by a landslide in the 2019 elections and that Jagan has confined the party only to Andhra Pradesh and has no national aspirations. "In 2014, too, our party won 6 per cent votes in Telangana but our leader is firm on confining the party to Andhra Pradesh," he said.

Mr. Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said Sharmila may have thought differently and that she wanted to explore her political options in Telangana. "Sharmila is a leader in her own right and is well known as the sister of Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy and she comes from the political family of Dr. Y.S Raja Shekar Reddy, who has a mass following" the YSRCP general secretary added.

He went on, "It is not necessary that members of the family should think alike. They can have contrasting views on the issue of party expansion but it is not true that there is a wedge between the brother and sister and there are no differences in the family."

On Tuesday, Sharmila met senior party leaders from Telangana and her father's close confidant from Nalgonda at Lotus pond residence in Hyderabad. Srinivas Rao, was the first to enter the camp as others followed. "People of Telangana are unhappy and there is a need for Rajanna's schemes. Today I have heard the people from Nalgonda. I will soon visit other mandal and soon a decision will be made on how to execute the strategies," she said.

When asked if Chief Minister Jagan supported her decision, Sharmila said, "He (Jagan) is my elder brother. I am sure I have his blessings."