VIJAYAWADA: BJP national president JP Nadda has inducted former union minister Daggubati Purandeswari into the party’s national committee as one of its eight national general secretaries — the only woman among them. The party, which has been eyeing a foothold in Andhra Pradesh and has rejigged its State unit recently, retained Satya Kumar as the national secretary and dropped GVL Narasimha Rao from the national spokespersons’ panel.
In the list announced by the party on Saturday, Daggubati Purandeswari, who joined the party in March, 2014, replaced Varanasi Ram Madhav, who had represented the State in the central committee as the national general secretary since August, 2014. Party sources said that the appointments clearly indicate that the party has serious plans to achieve its aim of growing as a political alternative in Andhra Pradesh by 2024.
One of the reasons, party sources said, that could have made Purandeswari bag the position is she stays in the State and can closely work on strengthening the party. Though Ram Madhav used to visit Andhra Pradesh, he was more involved in national affairs as he was also tasked with affairs of Jammu and Kashmir and north eastern States.
For the record, Purandeswari unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Rajampet and Visakhapatnam in 2014 and 2019, respectively. She was also the head of the manifesto panel for the state party for the 2019 elections. Purandeswari’s husband D Venkateswara Rao and son Hitesh had a short stint in the YSRC last year.
They joined the YSRC before the elections and quit in October, soon after they lost. GVL Narasimha Rao, who was picked as the national spokesperson by Amit Shah in August 2014, has failed to make it to Nadda’s team. Though the number of spokespersons has increased from 10 to 23, GVL’s name has not figured in the team appointed by Nadda eight months after he took over as the party national chief.
When asked the possible reasons for dropping Ram Madhav and GVL Narasimha Rao, one leader from the State committee said, “It is a part of routine reshuffle. Other major reasons are that Ram Madhav may be given a berth in the imminent cabinet expansion shortly. Anyway, both of them have been a part of the national committee for long. Usually, the term is not more than two-four years. On the other hand, GVL has also been made the MP in March, 2018.
So, in line with ‘one person, one post’ motto, the appointments may have been made. They can also be entrusted with other responsibilities. All said and done, the new appointments clearly indicate that AP is BJP’s priority.” Another Telugu leader P Muralidhar Rao from Telangana has also not been picked by Nadda this time. He was also a national general secretary since August 2014.
Y Satya Kumar, an associate of former minister and current vice president M Venkaiah Naidu, has been retained as the national secretary. He was first appointed as the secretary in July 2018. Meanwhile, Sunil Deodhar, who was elevated as national secretary and was appointed co-incharge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh in July, 2018, has been retained as the secretary as well.Party State chief Somu Veerraju congratulated the appointees.
Who got what?
BJP retained Satya Kumar as national secretary
GVL Narasimha Rao dropped from the national spokespersons’ panel
Sunil Deodhar, co-incharge of party affairs in AP, has been retained
Purandeswari replaced Ram Madhav, who had represented the State in central committee
P Muralidhar Rao from TS dropped as general secretary