New Delhi:

The YSR Telangana Party will contest all 119 seats in next month’s Assembly election, YS Sharmila said Thursday, putting an end to speculation her outfit will ally with the Congress to consolidate votes against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi. She said she had waited four months for that deal. “Now no one can blame us for splitting the anti-KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao) vote. We tried our best,” she said, adding she will contest from Palair and maybe a second location too.

Ms Sharmila, who is also Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, also said there were demand for her mother YS Vijayalakshmi and husband Anil Kumar to contest. “If needed they will also contest. My mother has said she will do whatever (is) needed to support me. She made that promise when I launched my party… that she will stand by me,” she said.

Telangana will vote on November 30 and results will declared on December 3.

READ | 5 States To Vote From November 7 To 30, Results On December 3

Two weeks ago she had said a “final decision” on any alliance with the Congress will be taken by end-September. “If no alliance fructifies, the party will contest all 119 constituencies,” the party said.

YS Sharmila met Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi last month, after which she claimed “constructive discussions” and warned KCR to expect defeat.

READ | Amid Speculation Of Merger With Congress, YS Sharmila Meets Sonia Gandhi

But Telangana Congress boss Revanth Reddy later told NDTV there was no question of her allying with the national party.

Reports suggested the Congress wanted the YSRTP leader to work with her brother to revive the national party in Andhra Pradesh, which will hold an Assembly election next year.

YS Sharmila ruled that out and her brother has distanced himself from her political activities.

The daughter of a former Congress chief minister, YS Rajasekhar Reddy, Ms Sharmila started the YSRTP in 2021 to bring the YSR family, or ‘Rajanna Rajyam’ to the state – in which both she and her party are electorally untested. As part of her efforts, she went on a 3,800-km state-wide march.

“All my efforts are for Telangana. I am doing everything to improve the condition of the people… so they benefit from the formation of Telangana,” she said after the Delhi trip.

Hyderabad:

Ahead of the Telangana election all eyes are on the Congress as it bids to consolidate votes against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi by reaching out to opposition leader YS Sharmila. The YSR Telangana party leader met the Congress’ Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi but she has since then neither confirmed nor denied speculation of a merger. 

Also, despite repeatedly saying her focus is on Telangana, there is buzz that Ms Sharmila – who is Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister – may cross family lines next year, when her brother’s state votes.

“Met Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi… constructive discussions took place. The daughter of YS Rajasekhar Reddy will work relentlessly towards benefitting the people of Telangana,” she told reporters after talks with the Congress leaders, declaring, “I can say one thing… countdown for KCR (Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) has begun.”

Ms Sharmila stressed her “one-point agenda is to end KCR’s rule in Telangana”.

READ | Amid Speculation Of Merger With Congress, YS Sharmila Meets Sonia Gandhi

The daughter of a former Congress chief minister, YS Rajasekhar Reddy, Ms Sharmila started the YSRTP in July 2021 with a promise to bring the YSR family, or ‘”Rajanna Rajyam” to the state – one in which both she and her party are electorally untested. As part of efforts to fulfill that vow, she went on a 3,800-km march through Telangana to target the ruling party.

“All my efforts are for Telangana. I am doing everything to improve the condition of the people.. so they benefit from the formation of Telangana,” she said after the Delhi trip.

“No Idea”, Says YSRTP

Interestingly, when contacted, YSRTP spokesperson Konda Raghava Reddy said the party’s senior leaders were unaware of Ms Sharmila meeting the Gandhi family in Delhi.

The YSRTP boss has, in the recent past, met other Congress leaders, including now-Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and General Secretary KC Venugopal. The talk then was around securing a Rajya Sabha seat or help in taking on her brother in Andhra Pradesh.

Mr Reddy has distanced himself from his sister’s political activities. After his father’s death he had broken away from the Congress to launch the YSR Congress Party in September 2009 and he did not attend his sister’s party’s launch.

READ | Jagan Reddy’s Sister Launches Party In Telangana, He Stays Away

How Would YSRTP + Congress Work?

If Ms Sharmila does, in fact, merge with the Congress, it could help consolidate anti-BRS votes in pockets where she has emotional appeal, especially among YSR loyalists. She may want to contest from Palair in Khammam, where the Congress has some influence but may need to a profile boost. Alternatively, she may also run from Secunderabad.