HYDERABAD: Former MP and popular film actress Vijayashanti appears to be pining to return to BJP, which was her original home.The film actress, known as lady Amitabh Bachchan in her box office days, began her political career in BJP two decades ago and after straying to different parties, she had settled down in the Congress. But here too, the footloose actress, now seems keen on returning home.Though she has been eyeing BJP since a year now, Vijayashanti deferred joining the party as she was not assured of a suitable position in the party or in the government, a BJP state leader analysed.
On Monday evening, she met Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy. The move is considered to be a precursor to her joining the saffron party. According to sources close to Vijayashanti, the duo discussed several political issues for over an hour. After her meeting, she condemned the arrest of Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, which set the rumour bill buzzing that she is joining the saffron bandwagon.
In September, the actress-turned-politician had broached the issue of her joining the party with the then BJP national secretary Muralidhar Rao and RSS leaders.She started her political career with the BJP in 1998 and served as secretary of the party’s Mahila Morcha. In January 2009, she merged the Talli Telangana Party whch she had floated into TRS and was elected to Lok Sabha. She served the TRS as its secretary-general. She was suspended from TRS for “anti-party” activities in 2013. Later, she joined Congress in 2014 and has been continuing in the party since then.
BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said that her meeting Kishan Reddy was a customary visit and nothing more should be read into it. “BJP neither invites nor rejects any person. We don’t negotiate with people on any terms. The people who want to join the party should come unconditionally,” he said. But it looks like the people of Telangana will get to see a redux of Vijayashanti in saffron robes.