When former chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajasekhar Reddy was alive, he never used to subscribe to the separate Telangana issue.
During his tenure, he did not raise “Jai Telangana” slogan in any of his public meetings in the region.
His son Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, too, never endorsed the bifurcation of the state and in fact, he strongly opposed the AP Reorganisation Bill in Lok Sabha till it was passed. He, too, never uttered the Jai Telangana slogan.
But now, after several years, YSR’s daughter and Jagan’s sister Y S Sharmila is compelled to take up the “Jai Telangana” slogan to appeal to the masses of Telangana and get their support for her forthcoming regional party in the state.
On Saturday, when Sharmila held a meeting with her followers and supporters from Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts, she raised Jai Telangana slogans revoking loud applause from them. They are of the view that she can kick up a storm in Telangana politics with this slogan.
Apparently, Sharmila wants to convey to the people that Telangana was not the sole property of Telangana Rashtra Samithi or Telangana Congress.
“Anybody who is settled in Telangana, irrespective of his or her birthplace, is a native of Telangana. They have every right to seek power. After all, the people of Telangana will elect their leader. And whoever gets elected will automatically represent Telangana,” a leader close to Sharmila said.
As mentioned in these columns, Sharmila is planning to raise the bogey of “Telangana daughter-in-law” to appeal to the people, particularly womenfolk.
“Since YSR has developed Telangana region, irrespective of his regional background, Sharmila, as YSR’s daughter, also has a right over this land,” the leader said.
