Gidugu Rudra Raju Resign as APCC Prez, YS Sharmila to take Charge

Gidugu Rudra Raju has stepped down as the president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), clearing the path for the appointment of Y.S. Sharmila as the new party chief. Rudra Raju, who assumed the role in 2022, submitted his resignation letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The move aligns with the anticipation that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) may designate Sharmila as the APCC president in preparation for simultaneous state Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Rudra Raju had welcomed Sharmila into the Congress and offered to resign to facilitate her appointment as the party’s leader in Andhra Pradesh. Sharmila, the sister of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, merged her YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) with the Congress on January 4. During her induction, Sharmila expressed her readiness to take on any responsibility assigned by the party, emphasizing her commitment to fulfilling her father Y. Rajasekhara Reddy’s dream of seeing Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister.

Having felt sidelined within the YSR Congress Party, Sharmila entered politics in Telangana in 2021, forming the YSRTP. Despite not contesting the recent Assembly elections in Telangana, she played a significant role in supporting the Congress, contributing to their victory.