VIJAYAWADA: Describing BJP State chief Daggubati Purandeswari as an expert in changing sides, Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy criticised her for “acting as the unofficial honorary president of the TDP, while continuing to work with the saffron party”.
The YSRC leader launched a blistering attack at Purandeswari, a day after she wrote to the Chief Justice of India, urging him to cancel Vijayasai Reddy’s bail and close the cases pending against him in six months. Vijayasai Reddy took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, “Purandeswari joined the TDP, which came into existence in the aftermath of the Congress humiliating her father (NT Rama Rao). She remained with the TDP until it was in power and switched to Congress as Naidu (current TDP chief and former CM) sidelined her. She even served as a Union minister in the Congress government.”
Further, he alleged, “The great lady played the role of Shakuni during bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.”
A barrage of leaders joined the MP in lambasting the former union minister. Taking offence to Purandeswari’s allegations of a scam in the ruling YSRC’s liquor policy, senior minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy advised her to verify facts before making such claims.
Speaking during a party programme in Vijayawada, Pedireddy said all distilleries that are manufacturing liquor in the State were given permissions during the TDP regime. Accusing the BJP leader of making baseless allegations and targetting Vijayasai, he maintained, “The Jagan-government has not given permission to a single distillery.”