Narayana Swamy slams Sharmila's Congress entry

Tirupati: Criticising YS Sharmila Reddy for joining the Congress party as its PCC chief, Deputy Chief Minister K Narayana Swamy reminded her on Sunday that the Congress had caused divisions in the YSR family for political gains and filed an FIR against her father after his demise in a helicopter crash.

Speaking at a public meeting during the YSRC’s Samajika Sadhikara Yatra in Naidupeta, Tirupati district, on Sunday, Narayana Swamy blamed the Congress for imprisoning her brother YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in “false cases” by resort to political vengeance.

“Have you forgotten how your own brother was unjustly jailed for years? He did no wrong, the Congress was responsible for his sufferings,” Swamy asked Sharmila.

Despite these differences, the deputy CM clarified that he still has great respect for the YSR family name and its contributions to the state.

He rejected allegations that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy neglected welfare. “One must compare the performance of the previous government of Chandrababu Naidu and the present rule of Jagan Reddy to understand that the benefits of the state government’s welfare initiatives have reached poorer and weaker sections under the present government. The poor had been denied such support for decades,” claimed Narayana Swamy.

He said leaders from SC, ST, BC and minority groups are being increasingly appointed to key political positions under CM Jagan’s leadership. “No other leader has empowered marginalized communities in this manner. It has been a golden period for social justice in AP,” he added.

Former minister Anil Kumar Yadav said CM Jagan Mohan Reddy created history by reserving an unprecedented 50 per cent of all nominated posts for women from SC, ST and BC communities. He contrasted this to the derogatory comments made in the past by former CM Chandrababu Naidu about reserved categories.

As an example, Yadav cited Naidu’s objection to the installation of an Ambedkar statue in a prominent location in Vijayawada city during his term as CM.

Yadav accused Opposition groups of attempting to create fissures within the YSR family to enable Chandrababu Naidu grab power. He cited YS Sharmila’s verbal attacks on her brother and her perceived support to Naidu as evidence of this conspiracy.

“We urge Sharmila Reddy to contemplate how her thoughtless statements are being used by others to harm CM Jagan. As a sister, she must stand by her brother,” Yadav pleaded.