Launching a scathing attack, YS Sharmila Reddy has accused both N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party and her brother YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led ruling YSRCP of compromising Andhra Pradesh’s interests to remain in the “good books” of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre.
Daughter of late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and recently-appointed Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief, Sharmila slammed the two parties for “not fighting” for commitments made during bifurcation like special status, Polavaram project, a new capital and economic package.
Sharmila, who merged her YSR Telangana Party and took over as its state unit chief ahead of elections, has sought to project her party as the only force capable of safeguarding Andhra's rightful claims and fulfilling bifurcation commitments.
Her no-holds-barred attack comes as the political battle heats up in the state with all parties vying to woo voters ahead of the crucial polls on May 13.
She claimed that had Congress been in power post-2014 bifurcation, Andhra Pradesh would have got all promises like special status and new capital.
“But 10 years on, people see what they lost by not voting Congress.” She also lashed out at Chief Minister Jagan for re-nominating their cousin Avinash Reddy as the YSRCP candidate from Kadapa despite a CBI probe naming him as an accused in her uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy’s murder case.
Exuding confidence of winning from the Kadapa Parliamentary segment, Sharmila said her goal is to project Congress as the only alternative to the “Andhra BJP” comprising Naidu’s TDP, Jagan’s YSRCP and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena.
However, battle lines have been drawn within the family too with Jagan accusing TDP chief Naidu of fuelling Sharmila and her cousin Sunita’s quest for justice. Sharmila dismissed it as “baseless rumours” stemming from Jagan’s “obsession” with Naidu.
The Congress is contesting 23 of Andhra Pradesh’s 25 Lok Sabha seats while allies CPI and CPM are contesting one each as part of the India bloc. For the 175 assembly seats, Congress has fielded candidates in 157 segments with the Left contesting the rest.
Simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls will be held in the state on May 13.
Follow us
