‘More focused on targeting her brother’: Is Y S Sharmila at risk of losing Andhra Congress rank and file?

Sharmila recently embarked on tours to several districts and has held meetings with cadres and local leaders. At recent meetings in Machilipatnam, West Godavari, Kakinada, Rajahmundry, and Eluru, the state Congress president repeatedly emphasised she aims to strengthen the party. In West Godavari, hinting at the misgivings of certain sections of the party about her approach, she said, “I have never supported Chandrababu Naidu or Pawan Kalyan. The Congress will always be against the TDP and the Jana Sena. Dr YSR’s child does not need to support anyone.”

At these meetings, Sharmila hit out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying the country had gone backwards in the last 11 years. “The BJP has cheated the state badly. Not a single bifurcation promise has been implemented. All parties are doing a disservice to the state. Modi-Babu (Narendra Modi and N Chandrababu Naidu), Pawan (Pawan Kalyan), and Jagan are Modi’s men,” Sharmila said at a meeting.

However, those close to the state Congress chief said she was upset about the feedback she had received at the meetings, saying it was “not up to the mark”. One state Congress insider said Sharmila was “angry after finding out that most cadre and mandal-level leaders have not been active for several years”. She blamed some newly appointed Assembly constituency coordinators for taking the meetings lightly and not making proper arrangements, the source added.

However, Sharmila’s detractors in the party believe her efforts to connect with party workers and local leaders are a case of too little, too late, pointing out that she was appointed state Congress president on January 16, 2024. “She has no experience, no strategy or a plan for the state. Except for making statements, there is hardly a whimper or action by the Congress that can come to anyone’s notice,” said a leader.

Sharmila’s critics in the party are also surprised that she had blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the delay in the state getting a capital city. At a recent meeting in Kakinada, she said, “The responsibility of building and providing the capital lies with the Centre. The capital was supposed to be built by the Centre as per the bifurcation promise. But instead of giving funds for the capital, they are giving loans. We are focused on strengthening the Congress in the state. The next four years are very crucial for us.”

State Congress working president Shaik Mastan Vali told The Indian Express that rejuvenating the state unit was a “work in progress”.

“It may be a misconception that she does not get the required support,” Vali said. “She has started holding meetings with cadres to understand what needs to be done. She is talking to senior leaders and taking their opinion. She wants to know who is active and who is not active. She is trying to meet as many cadres and workers as possible. After that, she will form the political affairs committee and so many other committees that are not in place right now. She is planning to put in front of the senior leaders whatever feedback and information she is getting from the ground. A strategy will be formed based on that to make Congress strong and more relevant in the state’s political sphere.”