HYDERABAD: Making clear her political intentions in Telangana, the late former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s daughter, Y S Sharmila, on Tuesday said that she was keen to bring Rajanna Rajyam (referencing her father’s rule in united Andhra Pradesh) in the state.
Interacting with the media briefly after meeting with YSR loyalists, she said, “There is no Rajanna Rajayam here, we want to bring it here. The consultations are meant for this.”
Keeping her plans of launching a new party vague for the time being, Sharmila, sister of AP chief minister and YSR Congress president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, said, “Elections are far, what can we say now?”
On Tuesday, after arriving from Bengaluru, she met YSRCP leaders and followers of her family from Nalgonda and Chevella districts at Lotus Pond in Hyderabad. She said she held the meeting with her father’s loyalists to know ground realities and understand the political situation.
Replying to the question if she has her brother’s support, she said, “We are siblings, he is elder to me, I hope and think that I have his blessings.”
She said farmers in the state used to live like kings and many promises are not fulfilled. She added there was a need to bring back the golden rule of her father and did not deny the possibility of launching a padayatra.
Earlier, addressing the meeting with YSR loyalists, she said, “YSR’s rule was golden rule. He built pucca houses for the poor. He wanted every poor student to get good education and a great job. Since ill-health pushes poor into debs, he brought Aarogyasri. I want Rajanna Rajyam back. I believe only we can bring it.”
Lotus Pond was abuzz with activity since Tuesday morning as a large number of her supporters arrived from various parts of the state. All along the stretch of Lotus Pond, there were posters of YSR and herself.
Rajasekhara Reddy served as Congress CM of united AP from 2004 to 2009. After he died in a helicopter crash in 2009, YSRCP was floated. After her padayatra in 2012, Sharmila actively campaigned for YRSCP in the 2014 elections. Ever since the party came to power in 2019 elections in AP, she has remained in the shadows, away from party activities.