Sharmila Criticizes Brother Jagan Upon Assuming Role as Congress Chief in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: After taking charge as the President of Congress’ Andhra Pradesh unit, Y.S. Sharmila on Sunday fired the first salvo against her brother and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, questioning him if he ever fought for special category status to the state.

She blamed both Jagan Mohan Reddy and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for the state not getting special category status as promised by the Centre at the time of bifurcation of the state in 2014.

She alleged that both the present Chief Minister and his predecessor mortgaged the state’s interests as 22 MPs of the YSRCP and three MPs of the TDP are in the hands of BJP and both the parties follow BJP’s directions.

Addressing Congress workers at the party office after taking charge, she recalled that Jagan Mohan Reddy had undertaken a hunger strike for special category status but asked if he sincerely fought to achieve the same after becoming the Chief Minister.

When Chandrababu Naidu was the chief minister, he had jailed those who fought for special status, she added.

She also slammed the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government for pushing the state into a debt trap and also over its failure to develop one state capital after promising three state capitals.

She said that Chandrababu Naidu did not complete development of Amaravati as the state capital while Jagan promised three capitals and failed to develop even one.

The Congress leader said people of Andhra Pradesh have a debt burden of Rs.10 lakh crore. She said while the Chandrababu Naidu government borrowed Rs 2 lakh crore, the present Chief Minister increased the debts further by Rs 3 lakh crore.

She asked if the state attracted at least 10 major industries during these 10 years. She claimed that there are no funds even to lay the roads. Even the government employees are not getting their salaries on time.

“There is no development. There is loot by the mining and sand mafia everywhere,” she said.

Sharmila, who joined the Congress last month, said that the Congress cadres wanted her to join the party and she thanked them.