Jagan’s sister hints at new political outfit in T’gana

HYDERABAD: YS Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Tuesday held talks with her late father’s sympathisers here, triggering speculations of her possible political entry in Telangana.

Responding to the development, the ruling YSRC in Andhra Pradesh said while Reddy and Sharmila do not have differences, the siblings only have “differences of opinion” over her political foray in this state.

Sharmila’s father and late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, widely known as YSR, was the Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. The Congress leader died in a chopper crash in September 2009.

There have been rumours doing the rounds on social media over the past few days that Sharmila plans to start a political party in Telangana without her brother’s intervention.

She is believed to be in touch with some prominent political leaders, who were closely associated with late Rajasekhara Reddy, eliciting their suggestions and opinion on bringing “Rajanna Rajyam” (a state envisaged by the late Reddy) in Telangana.

“I want to understand the ground realities and to take their suggestions and the information they have...I called people from Nalgonda district. This is just a connection (with them).”

“The meetings will be held with people from every district,” she told the media after the meeting. Asked if she would launch a political party, Sharmila said “there is no Rajanna Rajyam now. Why should it not come?.