What prods Sharmila’s unsparing attack on Jagan

Ripples seem to have been caused in the ruling YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh as YS Sharmila kick-started her new role as APCC chief by launching a strong attack against the state government led by her brother Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Apart from tearing into the government that it had converted Andhra Pradesh into a debt-ridden state and had failed to develop the state, she took on her brother, saying that he had fought for the special category status while in opposition but had compromised after coming to power. What’s more, she asked why people should vote for YSRCP and TDP which support BJP.

She did not mince any words and even questioned why ‘Jagan’ being a Christian did not react when Manipur was burning. She questioned why Jagan failed to take up construction of capital and why he came up with the three-capital formula. The TDP government led by Chandrababu Naidu did not complete the construction of capital and Jagan did nothing except making AP capital-less state, she took a dig.

Now, this kind of reaction in her debut speech forced YSRCP to react. Political analysts feel that this is a master card being played by Modi as he is getting ready for the BJP-led NDA 3.0 tenure. The general feeling is that since the BJP’s southward journey hit a road block as it lost Karnataka and Telangana and it understood that there was very strong anti-incumbency wave in Andhra Pradesh, Modi, perhaps, now wants to fire his guns over the shoulders of TDP against the ruling party.

Even the TDP-Jana Sena alliance is part of this kind of chess game, analysts say.

Seeing the pent-up anger against the YSRCP and that TDP-JSP combine could come to power and that they are getting tremendous support from the people, this could be a game plan to see that they have no option but to sail with the Centre for next five years.

The NDA-led government would keep the Damocles sword of cases that were filed against Naidu hanging over his head. YSRCP has realised that the path ahead is not smooth, and that the BJP has stopped its indirect support. It feels that it is part of BJP game plan to see that Sharmila enters AP politics so that it will help in causing greater damage to Jagan-led party.

On the other hand, the Telangana government would get all support from the BJP to decimate the BRS. The Centre would dangle the carrot of extending help and assistance to the newly formed Congress government under the leadership of Revanth Reddy. But whether this bhai-bhai or the concept of ‘sab ka saath sab ka vikas’ will continue after Lok Sabha elections remains to be seen. Once BRS gets weakened, the growth of BJP in the state as a major opposition would become easy. Then, where would it lead to, one has to wait watch. BJP could try to do what it had done in Maharashtra or Goa.

One thing is certain. Next six months are going to be a politically hyperactive period.