Sharmila merges YSRTP with Congress

Sharmila merges YSRTP with Congress. YS Sharmila, the daughter of the late former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and sister of the current AP CM Y.S. Jagan, made a significant political move on Thursday by officially joining the Congress party in New Delhi. The momentous occasion was marked by her presence alongside Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi.

During the announcement, Sharmila not only declared the merger of her regional party, YSR Telangana Party, with the Congress but also expressed her readiness to undertake any responsibility assigned to her within the party. Speaking at the AICC headquarters in the national capital, she conveyed her delight at the convergence of political forces.

"I am thrilled to merge YSR Telangana Party into the Congress. It brings me great joy that YSR Telangana Party is now an integral part of the Indian National Congress," Sharmila declared. Reflecting on her late father's vision, she revealed, "It was my father's dream to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of our country, and I am delighted to contribute towards making that dream a reality."

The strategic merger is viewed as an effort to fortify the Congress party's position in Telangana and create a united front in anticipation of the upcoming state elections. Throughout the recent assembly elections in Telangana, Sharmila consistently threw her support behind the Congress party.

Explaining her decision to support Congress, Sharmila emphasized the failure of Telangana Chief Minister KCR to fulfill promises made during his nine-year tenure. She noted, "KCR has not fulfilled any of the promises he made to the people in his 9-year tenure. That's the only reason I do not want KCR to come to power. I, as YSR's daughter, risk Congress' chance because I tend to pull the Congress vote bank."

It is worth noting that YSR Telangana Party, an unrecognized regional party based in Andhra Pradesh, lacks elected representatives in the state or Parliament. Sharmila's move is expected to contribute significantly to the Congress party's electoral prospects in Telangana and strengthen its political standing in the region.