Sharmila will get right job in Cong: Tagore

Ongole: What role will Y S Sharmila play in the state politics? Will she be the CM face of the Congress in the state? Or, will she be the PCC president or AICC general secretary and star campaigner?

A clarity on this issue would come after February 17 when Sharmila would be free from the busy schedule she is having on account of her son’s marriage.

In a first interview to The Hans India during his visit to Ongole, AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore said the Congress has high respect for her father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who was the PCC president and two-time CM and hence they welcomed Sharmila into the party. He said a decision on her role in the party would be taken by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge soon. “The party will accord her a suitable role and position,” he said. Manickam Tagore said the Congress is secular and nationalist, and any person who believes in its ideology is welcome to join the party. He said that recently former MLA Palaparti David Raju re-joined the Congress, and they are inviting all previous leaders of the party, including the former MLAs and other public representatives to come back.

He clarified that the Congress did not approach YSRCP MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, and MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, who are reportedly unhappy with the YSRCP high command, to join the Congress.

Responding to a question, the AICC in-charge said the state is in a financially bad state and is surviving on debts to the tune of about Rs 10 lakh crore.

Asked about what the Congress would promise to the people of AP, Tagore said it would depend on the local situation and economic conditions. The 6G which the Congress had promised in Telangana would not be applicable here. It will have to be state specific, he added.

When pointed out that other parties were in the process of finalising the candidates, the AICC in-charge said so far they had not taken any decision on the candidates either for the Assembly or Lok Sabha polls. The party high command would take a call soon on this issue.