Stage is set for the merger of YSR Telangana Party, headed by Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Y S Sharmila, with the Congress party soon.
Sharmila, accompanied by her husband Anil Kumar, who had left for New Delhi on Wednesday evening, held discussions with former Congress presidents Sonai Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi for about one and a half hours over breakfast at their residence.
Sharmila discussed with Sonia Gandhi about the pros and cons of the merger of her party with the Congress.
She told Sonia that her father late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy’s desire was to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister and assured that she would work in that direction.
While Sharmila requested that she would like to confine herself to Telangana, Sonia asked her to play a big role in the party in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states. Apparently, she was assured of a Rajya Sabha ticket from Karnataka, which she accepted.
In return, Sharmila would campaign extensively for the Congress in Telangana and later focus her attention on Andhra Pradesh. So, she would not be confined to Telangana, but would be the party’s face in both the states.
Speaking to reporters later, Sharmila said the discussions with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were held in the most constructive manner. She said as the daughter of Rajasekhar Reddy, she would work in the direction of doing good for the people of Telangana.
“The countdown for KCR’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi has begun,” she said, without elaborating more on her future plans. Sources said in all probability, Sharmila would announce the merger of her party with the Congress after her return to Hyderabad.
In the first week of August, Sharmila held a key meeting with AICC general secretary KC Venugopal. The discussions centred around the party’s merger and the conditions set forth by Sharmila for this to happen.
However, sources said Sharmila had asked for contesting from Telangana and expressed her willingness to campaign for Congress in Andhra Pradesh for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.