YSR Kadapa District Name Change Draws Mixed Response from YS Sharmila
The coalition government in Andhra Pradesh has officially issued a Government Order (G.O.) renaming YSR District to YSR Kadapa District. Responding to this development, Andhra Pradesh Congress President Y. S. Sharmila expressed her stance on the decision.
Y. S. Sharmila stated that the Congress Party welcomes the change of the district’s name to YSR Kadapa District. She recalled that it was the Congress Party itself that had named Kadapa District as YSR Kadapa District following the death of the late Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
However, Y. S. Sharmila also voiced her concern over the timing and manner in which the name change was carried out. She said, “Personally, it is somewhat painful that this change was made hastily just a day before the Telugu Desam Party’s Mahanadu, seemingly because the name YSR might be mentioned during the event.”
Despite this personal discomfort, she clarified that the Congress Party respects the traditions and history of Kadapa District and thus supports the government's decision.
On this occasion, Y. S. Sharmila posed a direct question to the coalition government. “If the coalition government does not have a vindictive political agenda against the name YSR, if there is no ill intention behind these renamings, and if you truly wish to preserve sentimentally significant names, then we request on behalf of the Congress Party that Vijayawada District be renamed as NTR Vijayawada District instead of NTR District,” she demanded.
She questioned, “If renaming YSR District to YSR Kadapa District is justified, then why not rename NTR District to NTR Vijayawada District as well?”
Y. S. Sharmila stated that both Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and N. T. Rama Rao are sons of Telugu pride and that both hold equal places in the hearts of the people. She appealed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu not to impose different political standards for each and requested that equal respect be given to all when it comes to naming districts.