Hyderabad: YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) has officially declared its decision not to participate in the forthcoming November 30 assembly elections in the state. YSRTP’s president, Y S Sharmila, made this announcement on Friday, expressing her party’s intention to support the opposition Congress.
Sharmila, the daughter of the late Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, explained that her party’s decision to support Congress is motivated by the aim of ending what she described as the “corrupt and anti-people rule” of the current BRS administration led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
She emphasized her reluctance to divide the anti-government votes during a period when there is a potential for a change in the state’s leadership. Sharmila also voiced her deep respect for Congress leaders and activists and expressed a desire not to fragment Congress votes, which could inadvertently favor the ruling BRS.
During a conversation with reporters, the YSRTP president recalled the pivotal role her late father, Rajasekhara Reddy, played in bringing Congress to power in undivided Andhra Pradesh. She cited the recent success of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘padayatra’ in Karnataka as an indicator of the party’s resurgence. Sharmila reaffirmed her commitment to supporting Congress, stressing that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have shown significant affection for her, and she views them as integral parts of her political journey.
