Sharmila raises Jai Telangana' slogan after meeting YSR loyalists

Hyderabad: Y.S. Sharmila, who is preparing the ground to launch her regional party in the state, raised “Jai Telangana” slogans at a meeting of her followers and supporters of her father, the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy, here on Saturday.

Her sloganeering evoked loud applause from her supporters. They responded saying Sharmila would create a storm with this slogan.

At the meeting of her followers from Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad districts, Sharmila briefly outlined her political strategy and how she would go about setting up the party in the coming days.

Sharmila listed the welfare and developmental programmes launched by her father in the Telangana region during his tenure and lashed out at the TRS government for ignoring them.

"If you want to project yourself as an alternative, you need a comparison. If what YSR had done to Telangana can be compared to what KCR is doing now, the people will understand the difference and they will support us," she said.

Sharmila reportedly explained that the project to improve the underground drainage system in Hyderabad was taken up by the YSR government at a cost of Rs 1,250 crore in 2008, but was neglected by the TRS government and the funds were diverted. Instead, the TRS leaders encroached upon storm water drains, she alleged.

"While YSR introduced four per cent quota for Muslims, the TRS government failed to implement it effectively. While YSR completed the Outer ring Road and got approvals for Regional Ring Road, the TRS government is yet to take it up," she said.

Sharmila also pointed out how schemes like Arogyasri and fee reimbursement scheme were totally neglected during the Chandrashekar Rao regime. “We need to show the difference between Rajanna Rajyam and KCR Rajyam,” she said according to those who were present at the meeting.

Referring to criticism from various quarters that she was an "Andhra leader" and a “non-local”, she told her supporters that she is the daughter-in-law of Telangana and she had every right to enter politics and seek votes in the state on this plank.

“Anybody who is settled in Telangana state, irrespective of his or her birthplace, is a native of Telangana. They have every right to seek votes and power. The people of Telangana will decide whom to elect. Whoever gets elected will automatically represent Telangana. I am the daughter-in-law of Telangana," she said.