CHENNAI: Slain sandalwood smuggler Veerappan's daughter Vidhya Rani, kin of late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran and film personalities were among those appointed to Tamil Nadu BJP's state executive committee and various cells on Wednesday.
Rani, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in February this year, has been appointed as state youth wing vice-president, the party announced in a statement here.
The appointments are part of the initiative of BJP state president L Murugan, who assumed charge of the post in March this year, to revamp the party in Tamil Nadu, where elections are due next year.
A dreaded brigand who operated in the forest areas in the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border and once kidnapped Kannada thespian Rajkumar, Veerappan was gunned down by the state police' Special Task Force in 2004.
AIADMK founder Ramachandran's adopted daughter Geetha and grandson of M C Chakrapani (brother of the late chief minister) R Praveen, who joined the BJP in 2017, and actor Radha Ravi have been made members of the party's state executive committee.
The party also got more star power with Murugan announcing the appointment of actor Vijayakumar and directors Gangai Amaran and Kasthuri Raja as special organisers in the state executive committee.
Kasthuri Raja is the father of top star Dhanush, son-in- law of superstar Rajinikanth.
Music Director Dhina and director Perarasu are secretaries of art and culture cell, while actor R K Suresh is the new vice president of state OBC cell.
Murugan also appointed office bearers for the party's state executive committee comprising 38 members, youth wing, women's wing and various cells including fishermen, weavers and minorities.