Rudra Raju quits as Andhra Cong chief to pave way for Sharmila

Amaravati: Gidugu Rudra Raju has resigned as the president of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), paving the way for the appointment of Y.S. Sharmila as the new party chief.

He sent his resignation letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

This comes amid the buzz that the AICC may appoint Sharmila as the APCC president ahead of the simultaneous elections to state Assembly and Lok Sabha.

Rudra Raju, who was appointed APCC president in 2022, had welcomed Sharmila into Congress and offered to quit the post to make way for Sharmila.

Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had merged YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) with the Congress on January 4.

Sharmila, daughter of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y. Rajasekhara Reddy, joined the Congress in the presence of Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Rahul Gandhi.

She had recalled that her father YSR not only served the Congress party his entire life but also gave his life serving the Congress party.

“It was my father’s dream to see Mr Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister and I am happy that I am going to be a part of making that happen,” she said.

Sharmila had later stated that she is ready to take any responsibility given to her.

“I am ready to take any responsibility given by the party. Not only Andhra Pradesh, I am ready to take the responsibility even if it is Andaman,” she had told media persons.

Sharmila, who had actively campaigned for YSR Congress Party in 2019 elections, felt sidelined by Jagan after the party came to power with a landslide victory.

In 2021, she entered politics in Telangana and floated the YSRTP.

However, she did not contest the recent Assembly elections in Telangana. She claimed that since Congress stood a chance of winning in Telangana, she graciously withheld YSRTP from contesting the Assembly elections as she did not want to divide anti-KCR votes. She said she was happy that they contributed to the Congress victory in Telangana.

IANS