Sharmila evinces no interest in politics

ELURU: Like her father, she talks little. Like her father, she waves her hand too and invariably, brings to mind his image. Like her brother, she gives a peck to kids, women and the old on the forehead. She even hugs the women who come to greet her.

And, she asks one thing of them: 'Amma! Mee Rajanna Kuthurni, Jagananna Chellelani! Jaganannanu Aseervadinchandi (I am your YSR's daughter, Jagan's sister! Bless your brother Jagan)'.

Late YS Rajasekhara Reddy's daughter Sharmila, who crossed 2,000 kilometres as part of her padayatra on Thursday, is determined to continue her walk till the northern tip of the state and cover another 3,000 kilometres!

Speaking to select media on the occasion at Ravikampadu in Chinthalapudi Assembly constituency, West Godavari district, she made it clear that she had no political ambitions as claimed by rival parties.

'Politics is not at all my cup of tea. My straight forward mentality is not suitable for politics. I am undertaking the padayatra only to fulfil the wishes of the poor who want to see Jagan as CM to bring back YSR's golden regime. I am even ready to lay down my life for the sake of my brother, whose greatest calling is to serve the people,' said Sharmila in an emotional voice.

She does not even like to be called the YSRC's star campaigner. 'The affection of the people really intoxicates me,' she said while playing down her role and quickly moved on to talk about her brother. 'He is a very courageous man and is not afraid of threats being issued by the ruling Congress,' she asserted.

Taking on the Congress, she reiterated that the party had no guts to let Jagan out of jail. 'They fear that the moment he comes out, the party will be washed away. But even if Jagan is kept in jail till 2014, I am sure our party will sweep the elections. Either way, it helps us gain sympathy of the people,' she said.

According to Sharmila, though her brother is in prison, he is very much at the helm of affairs in the party. 'Even now, every decision in the party is finalised by Jagan only,' she revealed.

The optimistic Sharmila felt that despite Jagan's prolonged incarceration, the YSRC was becoming stronger by the day and cited the influx of leaders from other parties into YSRC to buttress her argument.

She was candid enough to admit that entry of newcomers into the party is creating trouble in some segments. 'All these internal disturbances will go away as the polls draw close.'

Sharmila is planning to take a week-long break from her padayatra during the local elections to let the party cadre focus on them.

Sharmila, who embarked on her walkathon on October 18 last year from Idupulapaya, had to take a break for one month after her knee was fractured on November 14 at BN Reddy Nagar in Hyderabad. She resumed her padayatra on February 6.