Full name: Yeduguri Sandinti Sharmila Reddy
Date of birth: 17 December 1974 (Wikipedia)
Family: Daughter of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (popularly known as YSR), a two-term Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, and Y. S. Vijayamma. Sister of Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. (Wikipedia)
Marital life and children: She is married to Morusupalli Anil Kumar (since 1995) who originally belonged to a Brahmin Hindu family in Telangana but converted to Christianity; he leads Anil World Evangelism. Sharmila and Anil Kumar have two children, a son and a daughter. (Wikipedia)
Early Life & Entry into Politics
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Sharmila was born in Hyderabad into the influential Yeduguri political family. Her upbringing and education were in Telangana (then part of Andhra Pradesh). (Wikipedia)
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There is less public detail about her formal education in the reliable sources; some biographical sketches mention a commerce background (B.Com) and possibly other studies, but these are not universally verified. (Disha Jain)
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Her public political visibility began in earnest when she campaigned for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) during by-elections and later major campaigns in Andhra Pradesh in the early 2010s. As convener of YSRCP, she took up several public tours (padayatras, bus yatras) to connect with the people and raise the visibility of her party’s welfare agenda. (Wikipedia)
Political Career Trajectory
Work with YSRCP
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Initially, she was part of YSRCP, working alongside her brother and mother. She campaigned for the party when her brother was unavailable, such as in by-elections. (Wikipedia)
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She undertook major public outreach events: for example the “Maro Praja Prasthanam” padayatra (foot march) in Andhra Pradesh starting October 2012, spanning thousands of kilometres over several months. (Wikipedia)
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Before the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, she led an 11-day bus yatra titled “Praja Theerpu - Bye Bye Babu,” criticizing the ruling regime (N. Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP). (Wikipedia)
Founding YSR Telangana Party
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By 2021, Sharmila felt increasing differences with her brother, especially over how her father’s legacy (YSR’s) was being used or managed, and over political space. This led her to form her own regional party, YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP). She officially announced its launch on 8 July 2021 — choosing that date because it was her father’s birth anniversary. (Wikipedia)
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She used the party to contest or engage in Telangana politics, conducting padayatras (“Praja Prasthanam”) in multiple districts, raising issues like governance, corruption, public service delivery, and also making frequent criticisms of the then BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) government under K. Chandrashekar Rao. (The Indian Express)
Merger with Congress & Role in Andhra Pradesh
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In early January 2024, Sharmila merged her YSR Telangana Party into the Indian National Congress (INC). (Wikipedia)
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On 16 January 2024, she was appointed President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), putting her in charge of Congress’s operations in Andhra Pradesh — the very state where her brother’s YSRCP dominates. (Wikipedia)
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She has since frequently taken up issues in Andhra Pradesh: criticizing the government (currently a coalition led by TDP and allied with BJP/JSP) on budgets, welfare promises, health schemes, farmers’ issues, and alleged misgovernance. (The Week)
Key Issues, Positions, & Recent Activity
Some of the major policy or political stances Sharmila has taken recently include:
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Budget & Welfare Schemes: She has repeatedly critiqued budgets as “visionless” or not fulfilling election promises. For example, she pointed out that funds for schemes like Annadata Sukhibhava, free bus travel for women, Talli Vidya (student financial help) etc., were either cut, under-allocated, or their implementation was weak. (The New Indian Express)
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Special Category Status & Bifurcation-linked Promises: After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh (Telangana separated), there have been outstanding promises made to Andhra Pradesh by the central government. Sharmila has accused both central leadership and state MPs of failing to uphold these (e.g., promises concerning Kadapa steel plant, special packages, etc.). (ap7am.com)
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Workers’ Rights and Industry: She has taken up issues like Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) — opposing what she alleges are moves towards its privatization, worker layoffs, reduced output; demanding reinstatement of contract workers, pending salaries, etc. (The Times of India)
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Health & Public Welfare: Criticized neglect of hostels for children (tribal hostels), poor food, bad living conditions, contaminated water contributing to illness; also pointed to pending dues in health schemes (e.g., Aarogyasri) as a kind of betrayal to poor and vulnerable populations. (Telangana Today)
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Agrarian Crisis and Farmers: She has highlighted shortages (e.g. urea shortage), falling crop prices, farmer suicides, and the inability of promised supports to reach farmers. (The Times of India)
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House-Arrest / Restrictions by Police & State Government: Notably, in April 2025, she claimed she was placed under house arrest in Vijayawada when trying to travel to Uddandarayunipalem (site for the proposed/new capital, Amaravati) because her tour did not have permission. She and others interpreted this as suppression of dissent. (The New Indian Express)
Controversies & Family Disputes
Sharmila has been involved in several controversies, including those that stem from political rivalry, allegations, and intra-family disputes. Some of the key ones:
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Rumours, Smear Campaigns about Personal Life
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Earlier, she filed complaints about online rumours that sought to link her with a film actor (e.g. Prabhas) or otherwise question her personal life. She claimed such stories were baseless, complained to cyber-crime authorities, requested search engines to delist or delink such content. (Deccan Chronicle)
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Differences with her Brother (Jagan Mohan Reddy) Over Legacy & Assets
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There has been public tension about how the YSR legacy is being claimed or managed. Sharmila has at times accused her brother of “hijacking” the legacy. (The Indian Express)
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A specific legal dispute pertains to Saraswati Power & Industries: Sharmila has been accused by Jagan of illegally transferring shares in the company from him / his wife to herself and their mother; he has sought relief via the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Sharmila argues she has legitimate claim, per agreements and her father’s wishes. (Disha Jain)
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Criticism over Use of Family Name & Political Loyalties
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Some rival politicians and media commentators have accused Sharmila of exploiting her “YS” surname to create confusion, especially after she left YSRCP and joined Congress, or in contexts where family loyalty and political legacy are sensitive. (MillenniumPost)
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Some have questioned whether her joining Congress helps TDP (traditional rival) by splitting votes, or whether her rhetoric is being used by opposition parties. (The News Minute)
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Alleged Confrontations, Arrests & Protests
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During her political campaigns, particularly her padayatras and protests in Telangana, there have been several instances where she was detained, had confrontations with police, or was prevented from travelling / forced to cancel public meetings. (The Indian Express)
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The “house arrest” claims in Andhra Pradesh in 2025 as noted above. (The New Indian Express)
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Recent Developments (2024–2025)
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Since becoming APCC chief, Sharmila has been active in campaigns, press conferences, protest actions, and leveraging her familial legacy (YSR’s welfare/state policies) to critique the current regime. (The Week)
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Some of her recent advocacy includes: demanding justice on labor/wage issues at VSP; calling attention to health scheme arrears; speaking up for tribal children in hostels; pushing back against moves perceived as privatization or weakening of welfare programs. (The Times of India)
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She has also been vocal on issues of inflation, farmer distress, supply shortages (e.g. urea), budget cuts, and what she sees as broken election promises. (The Times of India)
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Public tensions with the state government (led by TDP-JSP-BJP alliance) remain high, including accusations of suppression, restricting her movement (house arrest), and political friction around capital project (Amaravati), special status demands, etc. (ap7am.com)
Strengths, Challenges & Political Positioning
Strengths:
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Strong family name: Sharmila benefits from being the daughter of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who enjoys enduring public goodwill especially in rural and welfare-oriented constituencies.
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Experience in grassroots mobilization: her long walks, padayatras, and public rallies show comfort with direct contact politics.
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Ability to critique from opposition: with her move into Congress and positioning in Andhra Pradesh politics, she has space to challenge both state and central policies, which can appeal to voters dissatisfied with current governance.
Challenges:
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Splitting the legacy: because her brother is also claiming the YSR mantle, there is often public confusion or division among voters who must choose between familial loyalty vs party loyalty.
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Party infrastructure: the Congress in Andhra has weakened in recent years; rebuilding grassroots presence, convincing cadres, election machinery are major tasks.
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Allegations and legal challenges, especially regarding family assets and share transfers — these can distract and erode public trust.
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Political polarization: navigating between powerful parties like YSRCP, TDP, BJP etc., each with their strengths, means that Sharmila has to make strategic alignments carefully.
Political Positioning:
Sharmila positions herself as the inheritor of her father’s welfare-model of governance (“Rajanna Rajyam” is often used), criticizing what she sees as drift away from that under both her brother’s rule (in some respects) and under the current government. She has pitched herself as a voice for farmers, students, women, tribal communities, and those left out by populist schemes. She also aims to be seen as independent from her brother now (post-YSRTP formation and later merger into Congress), while still invoking familial legacy.
Interesting Recent News Items
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House Arrest Claim (April 2025): Sharmila claimed she was confined to her villa in Vijayawada when trying to travel to Uddandarayunipalem. She demanded to know the reason and raised constitutional rights issues. (The New Indian Express)
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Visakhapatnam Steel Plant: She has demanded reversal of privatization/EOI tenders, reinstatement of contract workers and fulfillment of obligations by management. (The Times of India)
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Liquor Scam Allegations: She has accused the previous YSRCP government of orchestrating a liquor scam involving non-digital payments, big public health dangers and black-money flow. (The Times of India)
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Hostel Conditions / Jaundice Outbreak: She visited students in Manyam district, raised alarm about poor hostel conditions causing an outbreak, pointing to deeper issues of neglect in tribal hostels. (The Times of India)
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Capital Development (Amaravati): She has criticized both state and central government delays / broken promises regarding Amaravati, and pressed the central government to fulfill obligations under Andhra Reorganisation Act. (ap7am.com)
Top Interesting Facts
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Padayatra Pioneer: Sharmila’s “Maro Praja Prasthanam” foot-march across Andhra Pradesh (2012-2013) is among the longest political padayatras by a woman politician in modern Indian regional politics. (Wikipedia)
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Choice of launch date for YSRTP: She chose 8 July 2021 (her father’s birth anniversary) to formally launch her new party in Telangana, signaling strong symbolic connection with her father’s legacy. (Wikipedia)
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Brother vs Sister dynamic: While both siblings are major political figures, their paths diverged: Jagan has focused more on Andhra, having taken over YSRCP; Sharmila charted her route via Telangana, then entering Congress, showing an independent trajectory.
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Interfaith Marriage: Her husband converted to Christianity; their marriage and her family life sometimes come up in political discourse because of the intersection of religion, identity and politics in Andhra/Telangana. (Wikipedia)
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Use of local, symbolic issues: She tends to focus on welfare, farmer distress, health schemes, school/hostel issues etc., rather than only high-profile mega projects; this gives her appeal among rural / marginalised populations.
FAQs about Y. S. Sharmila
Question | Answer |
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What is her current party affiliation? | She is a member of the Indian National Congress. Her YSR Telangana Party was merged into Congress in January 2024. (Wikipedia) |
What is her current official position? | She is the President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) as of January 2024. (Wikipedia) |
Has she contested elections herself (Lok Sabha / Assembly)? | Yes. She contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Kadapa constituency but lost to her cousin (YS Avinash Reddy) from YSRCP. |
What are her main political issues? | Welfare for farmers; health schemes; education and hostel conditions; governmental accountability; completing or fulfilling commitments around Andhra Pradesh’s bifurcation; resisting what she sees as privatization or neglect of public schemes. |
What controversies is she involved in? | Family asset disputes with her brother (Jagan); legal/tribunal cases over share transfers; allegations of misuse of family name; accusations of defamation / smear campaigns; confrontations with government over being restricted in her political movements. |
Does she have strong political base? | She has pockets of support, particularly in areas with connect to her father’s work, and among voters upset with current governance. But compared to her brother’s influence and the organizational strength of YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh, her base is still growing and faces challenges. |
What is her vision or campaign slogan? | She often refers to “Rajanna Rajyam / Rajanna Sankshema Palana” — Murusupalli Sharmila speaks of returning to the welfare governance ideal started by her father YSR; she emphasizes welfare state, reaching to marginalized, fulfilling promises. |
Conclusion
Y. S. Sharmila is a high-profile regional politician in Andhra Pradesh / Telangana states who carries both advantage and burden of her family legacy. As of 2025, she has moved from being a part of YSRCP to founding her own party, and now leading Congress in Andhra Pradesh. Her political strategy has emphasized welfare issues, exposing governance gaps, and confronting both her brother’s party and the current state and central leadership. At the same time, legal, familial, party-infrastructure, and electoral challenges remain significant. How well she consolidates her support base, navigates family disputes, clarifies her public persona, and fulfils promises will play a big role in her political future.
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