Hyderabad, Jan 4 : Y.S. Sharmila’s formal induction into the Congress party in the presences of All-India Congress Committee leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and others at the party’s crucial meeting in Delhi on January 4 brings down the curtain on speculations over her next political move.

Ms. Sharmila’s entry into the grand old party is seen as timely, both by the party leadership in Delhi and in Andhra Pradesh where it is in a dire need of a charismatic leader who could pull crowds in the upcoming elections.

Ms. Sharmila’s initial desire to merge her YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) in the Congress and contest in the Telangana elections from the Palair constituency in Khammam district on the Congress ticket was reportedly turned down by the seniors in Delhi after the then Telangana Congress president and the current Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed fear that this would come handy for the BRS to whip up Telangana sentiment once again and it could adversely affect the Congress’ electoral prospects.