amid-fight-for-justice-murder-case-dynasty-jibes-sharmila-banks-on-women-voters-for-congress-comeback-in-andhra

How is the Congress campaign going in Andhra Pradesh, and what are the main issues raised in these elections?

 

Let’s talk first of the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat from where I am contesting. You can note down that I am winning. The election in this constituency and the adjoining constituencies differs greatly from other parts of the state. Here, the sensational murder of former Lok Sabha MP Yeduguri Sandinti Vivekananda Reddy murder case is a major issue.

 

It’s an election to seek justice for him and his family. My opponent here is YSR Congress Party nominee Avinash Reddy, who has been named as accused by the CBI in this murder case. This whole election here is being fought around the issue of Vivekananda’s murder and the culprits roaming scot-free.

 

All the seven assembly constituencies under this Parliamentary segment are aware of this, and I am confident that the people will stand for justice instead of the accused. Kadapa Lok Sabha is about finding justice in the court of the people.

 

After the Karnataka and Telangana poll results, how optimistic are you about the Congress's performance in Andhra Pradesh? How many seats do you expect the Congress to win in the Parliamentary and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh?

 

Last time, the performance of the Congress was bad; it secured just about 2 per cent of votes. But this time around, we are hoping to do better. A lot needs to be done; we are doing whatever we can. Increasing the party’s vote share is challenging, especially in a short time.

 

I barely got four months after being appointed president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Party in January this year. But I'm very sure we'll get there. We will bring back the glory of Congress very soon. The number of seats is yet to be seen because, right now, we are trying to drive the point that Congress is the only alternative to the BJP. So let's see. I'm hoping for the best.

 

 

How do you rate the strength of the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and the state’s main opposition, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), compared to the Congress? Why should the people vote for Congress over these parties, which have bestowed several benefits upon the people through numerous social welfare schemes?

 

Both of these parties that you mentioned have taken turns ruling the state over the last ten years, so I must say that they have their infrastructure in place. But people realise that both YS Jaganmohan Reddy and N. Chandrababu Naidu have failed to get the Special status for the state as promised during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

 

Both parties have colluded with the BJP, and if you vote for either of them, you are voting for the BJP that has denied the state its promised special status. They did not fight for the special status of Andhra Pradesh, the Polavaram project, building the capital, the Kadapa steel factory, or getting a special economic package because they compromised the state's interests for their benefit with the BJP.

 

We tell the people, and they realise it too, that it doesn't matter if you vote for YSRCP or the TDP; the BJP will benefit at the centre. So, if they want a change from the BJP, Congress is their only option. This point has gone down well with the voters.

 

Although the YSRCP and the TDP are family-run parties, do you think dynasty politics dominates these elections, given that many key leaders, including yourself, are from political families?

 

I see nothing wrong with dynastic politics. If the child of a doctor wants to be a doctor like their father, what is wrong with a politician’s child becoming a politician? It is the administrative ability and zeal to serve the people that matter.

 

People have realised the shallowness of the BJP, which has been hitting others for being dynastic. The other two parties are hand in glove with the BJP, so I don't think dynastic politics plays a role anymore. People are smart enough to decide who they should entrust their future.

 

 

With the BJP's southern push plans, the saffron party hopes to open its account in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Could winning the Kadapa seat set the momentum for the revival of Congress in Andhra Pradesh?

 

Definitely. Kadapa, I am winning. You can write this down. With what margin, God will decide. But I think God has decided that I should win. Look at the number of women who come to meet and bless me.

 

This justice issue I mentioned sticks more with the women because of its sentiment. Most women somehow deny themselves empowerment. In these elections, the 9 lakh women out of the 17 lakh voters are single-mindedly voting for me. They also think that as a woman, I connect and relate to them better than the male politicians who never visit them after the polling day.

 

As the daughter of legendry YS Rajshekhar Reddy contesting in the same constituency as your brother but opposed to him, what is the message you are giving to the voters who consider you both as the political heirs of your father?

 

The message is simple: You should consider that by voting for anyone other than Congress, you are voting for the BJP because TDP and YSRCP work hand in glove with the BJP. Every vote that you put to the BJP is going to have another Manipur incident repeat itself.

 

So I suggest that for the future of the state and the country, they should vote for Congress because Congress is the only party under whose umbrella every caste, religion, language, and state can be safe and secure.

 

You and your brother Jagan Mohan Reddy were the main campaigners for YSRCP in the 2019 elections. Now we hear you have serious differences. Would you like to share what happened between the siblings?

 

It started with some small issues; he had his insecurities, but that was fine. My brother sees N. Chandrababu Naidu's hand not only in me joining the Congress but also in my cousin Sunita fighting for justice for her father and my uncle YS Vivekananda.

 

My brother is quite obsessed with Chandrababu. Recently, I sent him a mirror and asked him to look into it and see if he sees his face or that of N.Chanderababu Naidu. There is no truth about his allegations of support of Naidu to me. There is no need for the daughter of YSR to give in to Chandrababu Naidu. Furthermore, Chandrababu Naidu has done equal harm to Andhra Pradesh as Jagan Mohan Reddy has done.

 

Who is your mother supporting in this fight between you and your brother?

 

My mother is quite neutral now because it's very hard for anybody to choose between the right eye and the left eye. So, right now, she's living with my son and daughter. At the moment, she is quite peaceful, I should say, and I'm thankful that she's neutral.