Jagan government a puppet in hands of BJP: Sharmila

VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh Congress Chief Y. S. Sharmila on Tuesday alleged that the Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government has become a puppet in the hands of the BJP.

A day after assuming office as Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, she launched a fresh attack on the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government headed by her brother, saying its functioning is not in alignment with the ideals of their father Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR).

She said that YSR, throughout his life, was strongly opposed to the BJP. She said it was unfortunate that the political parties in Andhra Pradesh have become tools in the hands of BJP. “The government is in the hands of a party which does not have a single MLA,” she said.

Sharmila was addressing a meeting at Ichapuram in Srikakulam district after visiting the place where YSR had completed his padyatra ‘Praja Prasthanam’ in 2003. She recalled that schemes like Arogyasri and free electricity were born out of this padyatra as he closely observed peoples’ hardships.

Sharmila said that she had come amidst them to continue YSR’s struggle and will stand by them. She claimed that she was beginning her journey for the betterment of people of Andhra Pradesh from the same place where YSR had concluded his historic ‘padyatra’.

She said YSR and Congress were the support for each other. “Some people are saying that Congress insulted YSR. There is no truth in this. The party high command still respects him. Sonia Gandhi personally told me this,” she said.

Sharmila slammed Jagan government over failure to get special category status for the state. She asked what happened to his promise that if YSRCP gets 25 MP seats, he will bring the special status.

Claiming that Congress is the only party which thinks about the state and the people, she said Rahul Gandhi has already given the word that if Congress is voted to power the first decision will be to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

Earlier, Sharmila travelled in an APSRTC bus from Palasa to Ichapuram and interacted with few women passengers to know their problems.

Talking to media persons, she responded to the challenge by YSRCP leader Y. V. Subba Reddy that he will show the development that took place under YSRCP rule. “Let him fix the date and time. I am ready to see the development,” she said.

The APCC chief said Subba Reddy also did not like her addressing the Chief Minister as Jagan Reddy. She said she was ready to call Jagan Mohan Reddy as ‘Jagan Anna garu’.