Sharmila’s entry likely to change political equation in AP

The political equation is likely to change in Andhra Pradesh following the entry of YSRTP leader Y S Sharmila into Congress party.

The grand old party is looking for revival in the state after suffering bitter defeat in the previous elections.

With Assembly elections in AP due along with the Lok Sabha polls in April-May, the Congress party under Sharmila’s leadership may try to win back YSR loyalists and also those unhappy with Jagan Mohan Reddy’s leadership.

Even before Sharmila joined the Congress, it drew the first blood with Alla Ramakrishna Reddy declaring his support. The YSRCP MLA from Mangalagiri recently quit the party and also resigned as MLA.

Some other YSRCP leaders are likely to join hands with Sharmila. Political observers say coming days may see swift developments.

As Jagan Mohan Reddy is planning to drop many sitting MLAs to overcome perceived anti-incumbeny, some of them may look towards Congress.

In 2019 elections, YSRCP had bagged 151 Assembly seats in 175-member Assembly. It had also won 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

In the second consecutive election, the Congress party drew a blank both in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Its vote share dropped to less than two per cent.

With most of its senior leaders joining YSRCP and other parties during the last one decade, the Congress appeared totally demoralised.

“Even if a section of sitting YSRCP MLAs join Congress after being denied re-nomination, it will make a huge difference to Congress to at least improve its vote share and have representation in Assembly,” says political analyst Palwai Raghavendra Reddy.

Sharmila had played an active role in YSRCP campaign in 2014 elections but the party narrowly lost the fight to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). She was again the star campaigner for YSRCP in 2019. After YSRCP stormed to power with a landslide majority in 2019, Sharmila was sidelined by her brother. Unhappy over this, she decided to chart her own course by entering politics in Telangana in 2021. She floated YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) promising to bring back Rajanna Rajyam, a reference to the ‘golden rule’ of her late father.