Sharmila's T dreams: Storm in the teacup?

At a time when some political lull is being witnessed in Telangana, some colour and curiosity have been added by the daughter of former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

After three months of 'brainstorming sessions' within the family including her brother Jagan Mohan Reddy, Rajasekhara Reddy's daughter Sharmila has finally decided to enter active politics and float her own party in Telangana.

A ground was prepared for it with a news leak that there were serious differences between Sharmila and her brother - Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The soft landing made by Sharmila from Lotus Pond (translated into Telugu by some Opposition leaders as Kalvakunta) gave a clear indication that she was all set to launch her own party. Her business card is that she is the daughter of Rajanna and would bring Rajanna Rajyam once again in Telangana.

Since the YSRCP does not exist here and the few leaders and cadre who were there before the bifurcation of the united Andhra Pradesh now joined the ruling TRS or the BJP, Sharmila wants to target two communities, the Reddys on one hand and the SC Christians on the other.

Sharmila wants to take new people into the party and her husband brother Anil who is an evangelist is likely to help her in bringing the SC Christians into the party fold.

It is also being said as part of the makeover, Sharmila will now call herself as Sharmila Reddy. Though on one hand it is being said that her brother and his YSRCP will not have any direct role in the party and that she would be responsible for the outcome of the new party, the fact remains that the name of the party is going to be YSRTP and just as YSRCP had given slogans, "Ravali Jagan, Kavali Jagan, (Jagan should come, we need Jagan), the slogans for Sharmila are also the same. "Ravali Sharmila, Kavali Sharmila."

Though anyone has the right to launch a political party and aspire to become the Chief Minister, political circles knowing fully well that she cannot be a formidable force by next elections have started talking about her.

The reason is all of them feel that what was said to be Jagan's arrow has changed its direction towards Telangana basically to split the anti-incumbency votes of the TRS.

Another major hurdle for the proposed YSRTP could be the fact that YS Rajasekhara Reddy was against bifurcation of the State. He had made this clear on the floor of the State Assembly on many occasions.

So, what does 'Rajanna Rajyam' really mean? This being the situation, the big question is how successful his daughter will be in making her party emerge as a formidable force with her visiting card YSRTP?

The new outfit, however, will give a chance to the TRS to rekindle the Telangana sentiment to try and remain in power for yet another term. It appears that YSRTP will prove that family politics would continue in the south and hence Sharmila's moves will continue to hit the headlines for some time in the media.