Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister YS Sharmila on Wednesday trained her guns on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao over "drought-prone" mandals in his home district Medak. Sharmila, who is planning to float a political party in Telangana, addressed a meeting of loyalists of her late father and former undivided Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy from the district.
Addressing the meeting at her residence in Hyderabad, she said in the CM's home district, 20 mandals are drought-prone. "What should be the level of development in united Medak district represented by the Chief Minister but what is happening there now?" she asked, claiming people of the district were facing water scarcity while farmers were suffering the most.
Sharmila alleged that farmers who had given their lands for the Mallanna Sagar project were protesting. She also claimed that lands of Dalits were acquired forcibly. She asserted that had Rajasekhara Reddy been alive, Medak district would have seen more development. Sharmila also claimed that due to construction of Outer Ring Road around Hyderabad by Rajasekhara Reddy, Medak witnessed rapid development.
The meeting was the latest in a series of consultations she is having with YSR loyalists from various parts of Telangana before announcing her political plans. Sharmila has already admitted that she has a difference of opinion with her brother Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is not in favour of launching a party in Telangana. The YSRCP led by Jagan Mohan Reddy had earlier said that it is confined to Andhra Pradesh and the party is not keen to revive its activities in the neighbouring Telugu state.