YS Sharmila, even as she holds the office of PCC Chief, inadvertently stands out as an impediment to the coalition government from being a success in Andhra Pradesh. Post the formation of the coalition government, hopes ran high that she would emerge as a formidable opponent against the YSR Congress Party, which had emerged weakly as an opposition party. Many had believed that Sharmila was going to challenge the brother’s leadership, YS Jagan or at least offer meaningful political competition. But it does not seem to be the case recently.
During the period 2014-2019 of the TDP-BJP coalition, Pawan Kalyan acted as a supporter for Chandrababu Naidu by helping him tide over all the problems. His support in negotiating between Naidu and the public created an impression of alliance between the two, which later resulted in the defeat of both of them in the 2019 elections.
In a similar vein, Sharmila seems to be adopting a comparable role today. Instead of directly challenging the government, she has directed most of her criticisms toward her brother YS Jagan and his party. While she has occasionally raised concerns about the government’s unfulfilled promises, such as the “super six” welfare schemes, her focus has largely been on YSRCP rather than holding the ruling government accountable. Moreover, she has been publicly supportive of some of the government’s initiatives, like the Tirupati Laddu issue and the Kakinada Port, creating confusion regarding her political stance.
This scenario draws a parallel to Pawan Kalyan’s previous position. Just as Pawan aligned with Naidu, Sharmila now seems to be aligning herself with both Naidu and Pawan while mainly targeting Jagan. As a result, the opposition remains fragmented, unintentionally benefiting the ruling YSRCP. There are reports suggesting that Congress leadership has received concerns regarding Sharmila’s actions, but no concrete action has been taken so far. This ongoing political ambiguity has raised doubts among the public about her role in the opposition and her future in Andhra Pradesh politics.