YS Sharmila merges party with Congress, says ‘father's dream to see Rahul Gandhi PM’

Y S Sharmila, founder of YSR Telangana Party, joins Congress in the presence of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

Published on: Jan 4, 2024, 11:04:03 IST

By HT News Desk

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YSR Telangana Party YS Sharmila, the daughter of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, on Thursday joined Congress in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. She also announced the merger of her party with Congress and said she would fulfil any responsibility given to her.

YS Sharmila (R), Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing party workers and supporters at the AICC headquarters in the national capital, Sharmila expressed her joy at the consolidation of political forces.

"Today, I am very happy to be merging YSR Telangana Party into the Congress party. It gives me immense joy that the YSR Telangana Party is going to be a part of the Indian National Congress from today onwards," she said.

"It was father's dream to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of our country and I am very glad that I am going to be a part in making that happen," she added.

The merger is seen as a strategic move aimed at strengthening the Congress party in Telangana and forging a united front ahead of the upcoming state elections. During the recent assembly elections in Telangana, YS Sharmila constantly rendered her support to the Congress party.

"I am extending support to the Congress party because the Congress party stands the chance of winning in the Telangana Assembly elections. KCR has not fulfilled any of the promises he made to the people in his 9-year tenure. And that's the only reason I do not want KCR to come to power. I, as the YSR's daughter risk Congress' chance, because I tend to pull the Congress vote bank," she said in a statement made ahead of the Telangana assembly elections, which Congress eventually won.

YSR Telangana party, an unrecognised regional party based in Andhra Pradesh, doesn’t have any elected representatives in the state or Parliament.

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HT News Desk
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