Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Reddy's Sister YS Sharmila Set To Join Congress

This move comes ahead of the upcoming elections in Andhra Pradesh, coinciding with the general elections. 

YS Sharmila to join Congress.

YS Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the daughter of the late YSR, is set to merge her YSR Telangana Party with the Congress. Her official induction into the party is expected later this week in Delhi. According to sources, she has been extended offers including Rajya Sabha seat, AICC General Secretary role and chief of PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) of Andhra Pradesh.

This move comes ahead of the upcoming elections in Andhra Pradesh, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections 2024. 

In the meantime, YS Sharmila has convened a meeting with all party leaders at 11 am on Tuesday. The agenda was expected to include discussions on the party merger and forthcoming activities.

Sharmila sought views from the party leaders on the Congress party's offer. Later, she left for Idupulapaya in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh to pay tributes to her father and late chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy at his grave.

She is set to visit Delhi a couple of days later to hold talks with the Congress leadership.

The update comes nearly two months after the Telangana elections and days after Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President Rudraraju Gidugu said that several legislators "who have realised that the Congress party is the only hope of Andhra Pradesh will join the party soon".

Earlier, Sharmila ruled out a merger with Congress in Telangana and said that her party would contest from all 119 seats for Telangana Assembly. She also said that she would contest from Palair constituency. However, she later decided to not contest the polls and instead extended her support to Congress. She said that she would not contest the polls to ensure that the Congress votes do not split in the state.