Andhra Minister Paritala Sunitha on Monday hit back at allegations by the YSRCP that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was involved in spreading rumours against Y S Sharmila, the sister of Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. The TDP MLA from Raptadu was responding to a statement made by Sharmila, who filed a complaint with the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, asking for the police to take action against certain websites that were spreading rumours that she was having an affair with actor Prabhas.  

Sharmila had alleged that the TDP was behind the mudslinging campaign against her. “Without any doubt I can tell that Telugu Desam Party is behind this campaign. It is not new for the TDP to spread rumours. Earlier, they spread rumours that my father Rajasekhara Reddy was a factionist. Many TDP leaders said that I have an affair with him (Prabhas). If the TDP did not have any involvement, why didn’t they condemn it? Why didn’t Chandrababu Naidu stop them?” she asked.

Responding to this, Sunitha, who is the Women and Child Welfare Minister, issued a statement and said, "The TDP will condemn such derogatory posts not only against Sharmila but any woman. The allegations of YSRCP against TDP are baseless."

In the statement, the senior TDP leader also alleged that Jaganmohan Reddy had posted derogatory remarks against women on his social media page in the past and claimed that he had no right to take the moral high ground.

Meanwhile, after giving a complaint to Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, Sharmila told reporters that the mudslinging campaign, which began in 2014, had resumed aggressively ahead of the state elections.

"Such false propaganda had started before the 2014 elections and has swung back with elections fast approaching now. I have sought proper action against those carrying out the character assassination. I strongly believe that TDP is behind spreading the rumour," she said.

Sharmila said she had no acquaintance with Prabhas and had never even spoken to him. 

"Being a mother, wife and person with family bond, it hurts when such a slanderous campaign is carried out. If I do not react, my silence may lead to some unpleasant conclusions which is the reason why I lodged the complaint seeking action," she added.

IANS inputs