Hyderabad: A new political outfit took birth in Telangana on Thursday as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister Y.S. Sharmila formally made foray into the state politics with the launch of YSR Telangana Party on Thursday.
On the birth anniversary of her late father and former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, she unveiled the party name and flag with the announcement that it will strive to bring 'Rajanna Rajyam' in Telangana.
'Rajanna Rajyam' is an euphemism for the rule of Rajasekhara Reddy, who launched several pro-poor and welfare schemes when he was the Chief Minister of combined state between 2004 and 2009.
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YSR Telangana Party is the second political party in the name of Rajasekhara Reddy, who was popularly known as YSR.
In 2011, Jagan Mohan Reddy had floated the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) after resigning from the Congress, which had refused to make him the Chief Minister following the death of his father in a helicopter crash in September 2009.
The YSRCP has already made it clear that Jagan Mohan Reddy is opposed to his sister's entry into Telangana politics.
Sharmila launched the new party at an event held at a convention centre in Hyderabad. She paid tributes to Telangana martyrs.
Sharmila's mother Y.S. Vijayalakshmi also attended the event and appealed to people of Telangana to bless her. She referred to the padyatra undertaken by her to mobilise support for Jagan Mohan Reddy when he was in jail.
Sharmila and her mother reached Hyderabad by a special aircraft from YSR Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh where they offered tributes to YSR at his grave at Idupulapaya.
YSR's daughter said that the YSR Telangana Party has been formed to fulfil the ideals of the late leader by bringing back welfare rule in Telangana. She described YSR as the signature of welfare and claimed that he helped people, irrespective of their political affiliation.
"Welfare, self-reliance, and equality will be three-point agenda of YSR Telangana Party," she said. She also announced that her party will reserve 50 per cent in the legislature for women. The party will also provide reservation to the backward classes on the basis of population.
She slammed the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government for what she called its failures on all fronts. Targeting Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao for doing nothing for the people's welfare, she remarked that only his family is happy in the state.
Sharmila said Telangana has still not come out of poverty and pointed out that the state is in debt trap of Rs 4 lakh crore. She lashed out at the TRS government for not doing anything to help those infected by Covid-19.
"KCR says Telangana is number one state in welfare. What will he tell those who were forced to take loans for Covid treatment," she asked.
During her speech, she also referred to the ongoing dispute between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over sharing of Krishna river waters. "Construction of project on Krishna river (in Andhra Pradesh) has been going on for last two years but has KCR come to know of it only now," she asked.
Sharmila said when KCR can call the Chief Minister of a neighbouring state to his house, can dine with him and both the Chief Ministers can together defeat a common opponent, can't they sit and discuss the water issue.