It appears to be more or less certain that YSR Telangana party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister, Y S Sharmila, will merge her party with the Congress and play a key role in the grand old party.
This was confirmed by former Congress MP and a close aide of Sharmila's late father, Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, while speaking to reporters at Gannavaram airport where he saw off former party president Rahul Gandhi.
"We welcome YSR's daughter Sharmila into the Congress. We have indications to this effect," he said.
However, what KVP has not confirmed is whether Sharmila would play a key role in the Congress in Telangana or Andhra Pradesh.
She has already made it clear that she would not leave Telangana, and her fight is only with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi led by K Chandrasekhar Rao.
If Sharmila insists that she would confine herself to the Congress, the party high command might oblige her request.
But at the same time, she might not be given any major responsibility in the Telangana Congress, unlike in Andhra Pradesh, where she was reportedly offered the PCC chief post.
Apparently, the high command doesn't want to create yet another power center in Telangana, as there are already too many heavyweight leaders claiming their right to the top position. So, Sharmila would have a little role to play in Telangana PCC.
Because of the same reason, the high command might not oblige her request to contest the state assembly elections and become an MLA.
She has been claiming all these days that she would contest from the Palair assembly constituency, but if she joins the Congress, it might not be possible for her.
Instead, sources said Sharmila would be fielded from the Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency, which the high command believes is a safe seat.
At present, it is being represented by Union tourism minister G Kishan Reddy, and this time, he might contest the assembly elections from his original seat – Amberpet.
So, the Congress stands better chances in the Secunderabad LS seat. Moreover, there is a sizable number of Christian votes in the constituency, which would work out in favor of Sharmila.
"It has been Sharmila's ambition to become an MP, an opportunity her brother had denied her. Now, she can fulfill her dream by contesting from Secunderabad," sources said.
