Y S Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and the leader of YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP), officially joined the Congress on Thursday after long streching speculations.
Sharmila said “Congress party is still the largest secular party of our country and it has always upheld the true culture of India and built foundations of our nation.”
The decision to join the Congress comes after unsuccessful negotiations between Sharmila and her uncle, former YSRCP MP Y V Subba Reddy. Sources revealed that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had dispatched Subba Reddy as his emissary in an attempt to persuade Sharmila to join YSRCP, fearing that her participation in the state elections would impact his influence and image.
The political separation between the brother-sister duo occurred in July 2021 when Sharmila established her party in Telangana. Both the YSRCP and the YSRTP were created with the explicit goal of advancing the legacy of their late father, former Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, and reviving YSR’s governance.