Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Y.S. Sharmila left Hyderabad for Khammam on Friday in a big convoy of vehicles to address a public meeting, where she is likely to announce her political plans.
Sharmila, daughter of former chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, began the journey from her residence Lotus Ponds in Banjara Hills along with dozens of vehicles of her supporters.
She stopped at Panjagutta in the city to garland the statue of YSR, as her late father was popularly known. YSR loyalists have planned grand welcome to Sharmila at eight places enroute Khammam.
She will reach the venue of the meeting in a huge rally in the evening. She is expected to announce the name of her political party and future plans at the meeting titled ‘Sankalpa Sabha’.
The police have given permission for conducting the meeting on the condition that the organizers will ensure adherence to Covid-19 rules.
Sharmila’s mother Y.S. Vijayamma will also attend the meeting. Her participation will be significant as Jagan Mohan Reddy is not in favour of his sister floating a political party in Telangana.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by Jagan Mohan Reddy has already admitted that there is difference of opinion between the brother and sister over the latter’s political ambitions in Telangana.
‘Sankalpa Sabha’ will be the first public meeting of Sharmila ever since she announced that she plans to float a political party in Telangana.
For more than a month, Sharmila has been holding meetings with YSR loyalists from various districts in Telangana to take their feedback before announcing her political plans.
She vowed to try to bring back ‘Rajanna Rajyam’ (a reference to pro-poor and welfare regime of YSR) in Telangana.
YSR loyalists believed that Khammam meeting will prove to be a turning point in Telangana’s politics as Sharmila is expected to make some key announcements.
Composite Khammam district is considered politically significant. Sharmila had extensively toured the district during her “Maro Praja Prasthanam”, a state-wide walkathon, in 2013 to mobilize support for her brother who was then in jail in disproportionate assets case.
YSRCP had won one MP and three MLA seats in the old undivided Khammam district in the maiden Assembly elections in Telangana in 2014.
However, YSRCP became inactive in Telangana after its MP and all three MLAs joined ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
Jagan Mohan Reddy, who led YSRCP to power in Andhra Pradesh in 2019, decided to stay away from Telangana politics. His party did not contest 2018 Assembly elections and subsequent polls in Telangana.
