Telangana Polls: Amid Buzz On 'Merger', YSRTP Chief Sharmila Says Talks With Congress In 'Final Stage'

YS Sharmila had held discussions with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi amid specualtions on both the parties joining hands to take on the ruling BRS in Telangana.

YSR Telangana Party chief YS Sharmila

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Amid speculations on a possible “merger” between YSR Telangana Party and the Congress, YSRTP chief YS Sharmila on Saturday said the discussion has reached a "final stage" and a decision on this regard would soon be taken, news agency PTI reported. Sharmila had held talks with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi amid a buzz over both the parties joining hands to take on the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the poll-bound state.

Speaking to the media, YS Sharmila said, “Prolonged discussions were held (between Sharmila and Gandhis). We discussed how to work together and how to defeat Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s corrupt government. These discussions have reached the final stages.”

According to the report, Sharmila further claimed Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were not aware that her father and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (undivided) YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s name was included in a “quid pro quo” case filed against him and his son YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The case, filed in 2011, pertains to alleged investments made by some private firms and individuals in Jagan's businesses, as part of a quid-pro-quo arrangement in exchange for alleged favours by the erstwhile YSR Rajasekhar Reddy government.  

It is to be noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed 11 chargesheets against YS Jagan and others. He has been named as the prime accused in the case. Earlier, the probe agency had named Rajasekhar Reddy as the first accused in the FIR. However, his name was later dropped.

Meanwhile, as speculations are rife over a possible merger, TPCC chief Revanth Reddy expressed his opposition to working with Sharmila and her brother YS Jagan Reddy, according to a report on News9Live. 

However, a few other Congress leaders are in favour of the merger.