Sharmila appointed APCC president, Rudra Raju made CWC invited member

Vijayawada: The All India Congress Committee has named Y.S. Sharmila as the new president of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) a day after the resignation of Gidugu Rudra Raju.

In recognition of services rendered by Rudra Raju, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal said in a notification that he will become a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the grand old party.

Rudra Raju submitted his resignation on Monday setting off speculation that Sharmila would be appointed to take up the responsibility to revive the Congress base in the State, where it had been completely decimated at the hustings in the past following resentment over the way the bifurcation was done in 2014 by the UPA-2 Coalition at the Centre.

Sharmila, sister of AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who joined the Congress by announcing the merger of YSR Telangana Party before the AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge in New Delhi, had said on several occasions that she was willing to take up any responsibility assigned to her by the party high command. Congress sources said she will be made the star campaigner for Congress in AP in the ensuing elections. Rallies to drum up support for the Congress after her joining are planned at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati.

YSR Congress Party has said that her joining the Congress will not make any impact on their electoral prospects. Party general secretary and Government Advisor (Policy Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu was behind Sharmila's joining the Congress. "We have seen TDP criticism against Brother Anil Kumar, husband of Sharmila and now we see their photographs of TDP leaders with him."

Sharmila recently visited Naidu's house to request him in person to attend her son's wedding saying both Naidu and her father late Dr. YSR had a good friendship. There were reports that Sharmila may be appointed as APCC president or one of the all India general secretaries to make her a star campaigner for the grand old party. Some reports also hinted at her consideration for a berth in the Rajya Sabha as a member.

After her decision to merge her party with the Congress, Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramachandra Reddy, who was denied YSRCP ticket, said he would return to the Congress to work under the leadership of Sharmila.