This is an archive article published on November 13, 2024
‘Evil army’: Sharmila says brother Jagan told his supporters to go after her on social media
Addressing media persons in Vijayawada, Sharmila said she was a victim of vitriolic attacks on social media, and that Jagan could have stopped them but did not.
Accusing the YSRCP’s social media platforms of making indecent posts against her, Andhra Pradesh Congress president Y S Sharmila on Tuesday alleged that her brother and YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy encouraged his party’s social media cell to target her.
Addressing media persons in Vijayawada, Sharmila said she was a victim of vitriolic attacks on social media, and that Jagan could have stopped them but did not.
“Jagan’s supporters, who were running the YSRCP social media cell, did and posted as they wanted, and there was no oversight. They posted vulgar and nasty comments without any checks. They posted comments against me; Y S Sunitha, the daughter of Y S Vivekananda Reddy, who was murdered; my mother, Y S Vijayamma; and everyone who is with me,” she said.
“I am saying that Jagan Mohan Reddy himself told them (his supporters) to make those indecent posts,” Sharmila said. “The social media activists of YSRCP are an evil army that indulge in character assassination, intimidation, and coercion. The Andhra Pradesh government should declare a plan to tackle and regulate this. The (N Chandrababu) Naidu government has cracked down on YSRCP social media accounts’ offensive posts, but the main culprits, who are at the top of the party, have not faced any action,” Sharmila said.
The two siblings’ rivalry has been in the limelight recently, with Jagan saying in September that “there is no love lost” between them.
Jagan had made the remark as part of his complaint before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) accusing Sharmila of usurping shares in a power company using their mother Y S Vijaya Lakshmi’s (or Vijayamma’s) name. Sharmila has rejected the accusation, with an official in her office calling the petition “false and misleading”.
A month later, Sharmila wrote an open letter addressed to Jagan, saying that their father had specifically asked for his businesses to be equally distributed.
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In the letter, she said that she stood with Jagan after their father’s death and that she was treated well. However, she claimed that Jagan was “unrecognisable” after he became CM, and proposed to divide the family and sought a greater share in businesses.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
