YS Sharmila's Christmas Gift to Nara Lokesh Creates Flutter in AP Politics

 Vijayawada: A gift from Y.S Sharmila, the YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) president and sister of Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy, to Telugu Desam leader Nara Lokesh created a flutter in political circles on Monday.

Many felt this came as a big embarrassment to Jagan Mohan Reddy on Christmas day.

Information about the gift was made public by Lokesh himself. He acknowledged it by thanking Sharmila on his X social media platform and posting two photos.

Lokesh said in his post, “Dear @reayssharmila Garu, please accept my heartfelt thanks for the wonderful Christmas gifts. Nara family wishes you and your family Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

For the first time, the duo exchanged pleasantries on the occasion of Christmas.

Notably, for several decades, former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy's family remained united. Even after his death, his son Jagan Mohan Reddy and daughter YS Sharmila stayed as one family in politics too.

In February 2021, Sharmila announced that she had developed differences with her brother and claimed that there was no presence of the YSRC party in Telangana. On July 8, 2021, she announced the launch of her own party, the YSRTP. Later Sharmila considered the idea of merging her party with the Congress and she had a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi in September.

When Sharmila’s efforts proved futile, she announced that her party would independently contest all the 119 assembly constituencies in Telangana. Later, she withdrew her decision and extended her support to the Congress. Her party does not have a noticeable base in TS.