Plot thickens in Andhra

There is no BJP, but the battle for the state has intensified with the Congress pitting Y S Sharmila directly against her brother

At a time when leaders (such as they are) like Milind Deora are walking out of the Congress, it should be a matter of celebration that people actually want to join it.

And so it was that Y S Sharmila merged her party with the Congress — finally. It was a marriage set to take place in July last year after Ms Sharmila met Karnataka Congressman and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and sealed the negotiation. But there was too much pushback from the Telangana Congress. Then state unit chief Revanth Reddy was not ready to yield. He has become