Hyderabad: Congress party’s new inductee, YS Sharmila was appointed as Andhra Pradesh Congress president on Tuesday, January 16.
A press release issued by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said that the outgoing AP Congress chief Gidugu Rudra Raju who recently resigned from the post, was appointed as the special invitee to the Congress Working Committee.
Sharmila thanks top leadership
Responding to the development, YS Sharmila thanked AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal for “trusting her with the post”.
“I thank hon’ble @kharge ji , #SoniaGandhi ji , @RahulGandhi ji , and @kcvenugopalmp ji for trusting me with post of the president of @INC_Andhra Pradesh. I promise to work faithfully towards rebuilding the party to its past glory in the State of Andhra Pradesh with total commitment and integrity . On this occasion I would also like to thank @manickamtagore ji , and am looking forward to working closely with each and every Congress foot soldier . I also seek the support of @RudrarajuGidugu garu and every other leader of the party in the State , on whose experience and expertise I would like to build on to reach our set goals.” she said in a post on X.
Rudra Raju, who was appointed Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president in 2022, welcomed Sharmila into Congress and offered to quit the post to make way for Sharmila.
Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had merged YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) with the Congress on January 4.
Sharmila, daughter of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y. Rajasekhara Reddy, joined the Congress in the presence of Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Rahul Gandhi.
She recalled that her father YSR not only served the Congress party his entire life but also gave his life serving the Congress party.
“It was my father’s dream to see Mr Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister and I am happy that I am going to be a part of making that happen,” she said.
Sharmila later stated that she is ready to take any responsibility given to her.
“I am ready to take any responsibility given by the party. Not only Andhra Pradesh, I am ready to take the responsibility even if it is Andaman,” she had told media persons.
Sharmila, who had actively campaigned for YSR Congress Party in 2019 elections, felt sidelined by Jagan after the party came to power with a landslide victory.
In 2021, she entered politics in Telangana and floated the YSRTP.
However, she did not contest the recent Assembly elections in Telangana. She claimed that since Congress stood a chance of winning in Telangana, she graciously withheld YSRTP from contesting the Assembly elections as she did not want to divide anti-KCR votes. She said she was happy that they contributed to the Congress victory in Telangana.
(With excerpts from IANS)
