Big Blow To BJP In Telangana As Actress Vijayashanthi Quits Party, Eyes Congress Return (Image: Facebook/Vijayashanthi)

Actress-turned-politician Vijayashanthi reportedly resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, November 15. The Times of India reported that Vijayashanthi had sent her resignation letter to Telangana BJP chief and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy. This is a major setback for the BJP, as the Telangana Assembly election is scheduled to be held on November 30.

Reports also suggest that Vijayashanthi, a former MP and national executive member of the BJP, is likely to rejoin the Congress party soon. The actress started her political career with the BJP in 1998. Vijayashanthi was also the secretary of the BJP”s Mahila Morcha. The actress, also known as the “Lady Amitabh” of Telugu cinema, later joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now Bharat Rashtra Samithi) and was elected to Parliament from Medak constituency as a TRS candidate in 2009. However, due to conflicts in the party, Vijayashanthi resigned from TRS and joined Congress in 2014. Vijayashanthi was a star campaigner and adviser to the election campaign committee of the Telangana PCC. The actress quit Congress in December 2020 and rejoined the BJP.

Vijayashanthi was not actively participating in party activities in the state for the last few months and was reportedly unhappy with the functioning of the BJP. The Hindu reported that Congress leaders have spoken to Vijayashanti over the phone and invited her to join the Congress party. The report, citing sources, also revealed that the actress will rejoin the Congress party in the presence of senior leader Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. Earlier in October, former MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy resigned from the BJP and rejoined the Congress. Rajgopal Reddy said that the BJP failed to emerge as an alternative to BRS in the state, and the party failed to take action against the state government”s corruption.