Reportedly sometime in mid-2010, YS Vijayalakshmi, popularly known as Vijayamma, the widow of late andhra pradesh chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhara reddy, and her daughter YS sharmila landed in New delhi from Hyderabad. They directly drove to 10, Janpath, the official residence of then congress president sonia Gandhi. They were tense. They were expecting a warm welcome at her house as Dr ysr had a close rapport with her and the late Rajiv Gandhi. But their hopes were shattered the moment they entered the colonial-era building in which sonia gandhi resided. First, they were made to wait for 10-15 minutes. When they were ushered into the drawing room, a stern-faced sonia welcomed them coldly.
Meanwhile after his father’s shocking demise in a helicopter mishap in september 2009, jagan Mohan reddy started a tour of andhra pradesh to visit the homes of the people who died after hearing the news of YSR’s death. He was in the middle of his tour and sonia gandhi wanted him to end it. No one is expecting a quick turnaround with sharmila leading a ragtag congress in ap, but her return might change the perception regarding the party, which most people dislike for dividing the state close to the general elections in 2014.
Perhaps even if she fails to deliver seats, if sharmila manages to wean away a substantial number of votes and followers, the congress can hope to stay in the poll ring in the future. The congress, which has lost its deposit in all assembly and lok sabha seats in Andhra since 2014, has nothing to lose, whether Operation sharmila works or not. Both the Gandhis and sharmila know that. They also know that public memory is short.
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