Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday, 30 May expressed support for Andhra Pradesh Congress President Y.S. Sharmila's reported Rajya Sabha nomination from Karnataka, calling it a 'good decision' if the Indian National Congress (Congress) follows through. The reactions came a day after Sharmila met senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, amid reports that the party high command is actively considering her name for the Upper House.

What Shiv Sena Said

Shiv Sena Spokesperson Krishna Hegde noted that Congress is contesting three or four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka. He acknowledged an internal tussle within the state unit, saying there is a contest between the factions of D.K. Shivakumar and caretaker Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, with both sides pushing their own candidates for the Upper House.

Hegde pointed to Sharmila's lineage as a key factor in her favour. 'She is a young face whose father's contribution is immense for their party. That is why if the Congress agrees to give her a seat, considering his contributions, it would be a good thing,' he said. He was referring to her father, the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, whom he incorrectly described as a former Karnataka Chief Minister — Rajasekhara Reddy was, in fact, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Hegde nonetheless stressed that Reddy 'had made a very big contribution to Congress.' He added that whether Karnataka's Congress leadership ultimately accepts Sharmila's candidature 'remains to be seen,' while clarifying that the matter is an internal Congress affair that Shiv Sena does not wish to intervene in.

Shiv Sena-UBT's View

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey acknowledged that Sharmila commands 'good influence' in Andhra Pradesh and parts of Telangana. He framed her potential nomination as a mutual arrangement between the leader and the party. 'If the party wants, it should promote a woman who wants to work for the country and send her to the Rajya Sabha,' Dubey said.

Dubey also expressed confidence that Congress can win at least three of the four Rajya Sabha seats up for contest in Karnataka. He added that if Sharmila's meetings with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi yield a positive outcome, 'the country would get a great woman MP.'

Sharmila's Background and the Family Divide

Y.S. Sharmila is the sister of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh — a political split within the Reddy family that has drawn national attention. While her brother leads a rival regional party, Sharmila has positioned herself firmly within the Congress fold, serving as the Andhra Pradesh unit chief.

Sharmila Stays Tight-Lipped

When Sharmila emerged from her meeting with Rahul Gandhi, she declined to confirm or deny whether the Rajya Sabha nomination was on the agenda, evading direct questions from the media. The Congress high command has not made any official statement on the matter as of 30 May.

With Karnataka's Rajya Sabha elections approaching, all eyes are on whether the Congress leadership reconciles its internal factional pressures and backs Sharmila's candidature — a move that could carry both symbolic and strategic weight for the party's southern outreach.