Renuka Chowdhury opposes Sharmila’s plans to contest from Palair

Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had called on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on August 31.

Hyderabad: Days after YSR Telangana Party leader Y. Sharmila met Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Renuka Chowdhury on Sunday opposed her plans to contest Assembly election from Palair Assembly as the party candidate.

Chowdhury asked what work the leaders from Andhra Pradesh have in Telangana. “Was Sharmila born in Palair? Who is Sharmila to say that she will contest from Palair? Our leadership should tell us,” she said while talking to reporters at Congress headquarters Gandhi Bhavan here.

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The former Union Minister also stated that Sharmila should speak about farmers of Amaravati. She said that anybody can make any demand as there is no tax on making a demand but eligibility. On Sharmila’s statement she is daughter-in-law of Telangana, Chowdhury remarked that she herself is the daughter of Khammam district and she had her own views. She also asked if Sharmila realised after all these years that she is daughter-in-law of Telangana.

“I am in Andhra Pradesh the same way Sharmila is in Telangana. I will also contest in Andhra Pradesh,” said the former MP from Khammam. “Is there anyone left to contest from Palair,” she asked, referring to multiple contenders for party tickets. Chowdhury’s remarks indicate differences within the Telangana Congress over the issue of inducting Sharmila into the party.

Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had called on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on August 31. The meeting came amid the buzz about her plans to merge her YSRTP with the Congress. The daughter of former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy is reported to have placed certain preconditions.

She is keen to get a key position in the party at the central level. Sharmila has already announced that she will contest the coming Assembly elections from Palair constituency in Khammam district. Telangana Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy and his supporters are reportedly opposing Sharmila’s entry and want the party leadership to send her to Andhra Pradesh.