YS Sharmila appointed Andhra Congress Chief after G Rudra Raju quits post

The Congress on Tuesday appointed Y S Sharmila, the daughter of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, as the new president of the party's Andhra Pradesh unit.

Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, had joined the Congress on January 4 in Delhi in the presence of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

"Congress president has appointed Y S Sharmila Reddy as the president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect," an official announcement by the party said.

"Congress president has also appointed Shri Gidugu Rudra Raju, the outgoing PCC president, as special invitee to the Congress Working Committee. The party appreciates the contributions of Gidugu Rudra Raju in his role as PCC president," the Congress said.

Sharmila while thanking the Congress leadership for her appointment said she would work faithfully towards restoring the past glory of the party in the state with total commitment and integrity.

"I thank hon'ble @kharge ji, #SoniaGandhi ji, @RahulGandhi ji, and @kcvenugopalmp ji for trusting me with post of the president of @INC_Andhra Pradesh. I promise to work faithfully towards rebuilding the party to its past glory in Andhra Pradesh with total commitment and integrity, she said in a post on X.

Noting that she was looking forward to working closely with each and every Congress foot soldier, Sharmila sought the support of Gidugu Rudra Raju who resigned as APCC chief to enable her to take over the post.

AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore congratulated Sharmila on being appointed as the new chief of the Andhra Pradesh Congress, saying "I hope you will contribute to making the Congress party stronger, similar to the way late YS Rajasekhara Reddy did in 1999 and 2004."

Sharmila, the founder of YSR Telangana party, had also announced the merger of her party with the Congress, and said she would fulfil any responsibility given to her.

Lauding the Congress, she had said it is the largest and "most secular" party in the country as it unwaveringly serves all communities and unites all sections of people.

"Today, I am very happy to be merging the YSR Telangana party into the Congress party. It gives me immense joy that the YSR Telangana party is going to be a part of the Indian National Congress from today onwards. That YSR Telangana party is not going to be separate any more from the Congress party gives me great delight," she had said after joining the Congress.