Sharmila blames Jagan for split in YSR family

Amaravati, Jan 25: Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Y. S. Sharmila on Thursday hit back at her brother and Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, blaming him for the split in the YSR family.

This came a day after Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the Congress, which bifurcated Andhra Pradesh, also divided his family.

Sharmila, who recently joined the Congress, stated that Jagan Mohan Reddy is solely responsible for the division in the YSR family, claiming that he was a changed man after becoming the Chief Minister.

Addressing Congress workers at Kakinada, she said that it was Jagan who split the family and the God, their mother Vijayamma, and the entire family are a witness to this.

Sharmila recalled that she undertook a 3,200 km padyatra for the sake of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

"I undertook the Odarpu yatra in Telangana. I also took out a padyatra for Samaikyandhra (united Andhra). I left behind my house and children to be on roads, braving hot sun and rains. Whenever required I stood by Jagan Anna to work for his victory but the day when he became Chief Minister, he had changed," she said.

Sharmila said she would not have minded if he had done injustice to her personally.

"I thought it would be fine if he upholds YSR’s name and ideals but the entire party including Jagan became a slave to the BJP," she said, adding that a party which does not have a single MLA or MP in Andhra Pradesh is ruling the state.

She asked why the YSRCP surrendered to a party which has done nothing for the state. Sharmila reiterated that Jagan never fought for special category status to the state.

"He is not even speaking about the Polavaram project. He promised not one but three state capitals. I doubt if the state has a capital at all. Finally, he also gifted away the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant to BJP," she said.

She claimed that Jagan became the Chief Minister due to sacrifices of many who sold away their property but he distanced himself from all.

"Knowing fully well that my family will divide, I joined the Congress party for the sake of people," she said.

Jagan Mohan Reddy had said on Wednesday that the Congress which earlier divided Andhra Pradesh was now dividing his family. In an interview to a television channel, he alleged that the Congress was playing "dirty politics" for making political gains.