The ruling YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh led by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy doesn't want to lose any opportunity to target the Telugu Desam Party led by N Chandrababu Naidu, if it thinks it can gain political mileage out of it.
On the face of it, the entry of Jagan’s sister Y S Sharmila into Andhra Pradesh politics by joining the Congress party is purely because of internal rumbling within the YSR family and is no way concerned with the TDP.
Though her decision hardly matters for the YSRCP in the upcoming assembly elections, Jagan and his party leaders are trying to use it to their advantage by dragging TDP into the development.
On Wednesday, Jagan indirectly accused Chandrababu Naidu of trying to split the families to get political mileage.
“Naidu does not hesitate to hatch conspiracies to split the families of others, if it helps the TDP politically,” he said.
On Thursday, when Sharmila formally joined the Congress party, senior YSRCP leader and state power minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy also made a similar comment, saying Naidu and Sonia Gandhi would play dirty politics, of not only splitting the families, but also people.
“Whoever they are, the YSRCP will see them as opposition if they work against the YSRCP. Any Congress leader is our political rival,” Peddireddy said, hinting at Sharmila.
Another YSRC leader and foul-mouthed MLA Kodali Nani also alleged that Chandrababu Naidu was behind Sharmila’s entry into the Congress.
“He is known for creating rifts within the families,” he said.
Describing Naidu as a “luchcha” (dirty fellow) who separates family members, the YSRCP leaders said if any father dies, Naidu creates a wedge among their children and makes them scapegoats for his political gains.
He, however, said Sharmila’s entry into the Congress would not split the YSRCP vote bank.
“When she is not useful to us, how can she be useful to the TDP? We have nothing to lose with her decision. The Congress doesn’t have even one percent vote in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.