Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Y S Sharmila kicks off election campaign

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y S Sharmila on Friday, 5 April, kicked off her campaign for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls from Amagampalli in Badvel constituency in Kadapa.

As part of election canvassing, Sharmila will pass through the villages of Itukulapadu, Varikuntla, Kalsapadu, Pourmamilla, Payalakuntla and others on the first day, where she will deliver a series of speeches and culminate her first day at Atloor around 10 pm.

"YSR (Y S Rajasekhar Reddy) was a Congress man. He did many wonders as a chief minister. Now Jagan is the chief minister and he pawned the state to BJP," said Sharmila, addressing a small public meeting at Amagampalli.

She noted that not even a single bifurcation promise has been fulfilled, including the special category status or Kadapa steel plant.

Sharmila held YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy as the reason for her fighting the election from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, citing the allocation of the seat by YSRCP to people who allegedly murdered Y S Vivekananda Reddy.

Vivekananda Reddy himself was a former Kadapa MP and the younger brother of Rajasekhar Reddy, who was murdered on 15 March 2019 in the run-up to polls and his murder case continues to be unresolved.

"Murderers are being protected. This is deplorable, unfortunate and unjust. Murderers should not again enter the lawmaking bodies (Parliament)," said Sharmila.

Further, she claimed that the southern state will develop only when Congress comes to power and said that Jagan Mohan Reddy is a "slave to BJP".

Sunitha Narreddy, daughter of Vivekananda Reddy also addressed the public meeting.

"The competition is between people who killed Vivekananda Reddy and Sharmila and my father's last wish was to make Sharmila an MP. Vivekananda Reddy's last wish should be fulfilled," said Narreddy, calling for the defeat of her cousin Y S Avinash Reddy, YSRCP's Kadapa Lok Sabha candidate.

Meanwhile, former union minister K Kruparani, who recently quit the ruling YSRCP joined Congress party in the presence of APCC chief and senior leaders.

The Communist Party of India (CPI), Congress and CPI(M) are part of INDI Alliance in Andhra Pradesh.

Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on 13 May and the counting of votes is slated for 4 June.