Purandeswari is new president of AP BJP unit

Former union Minister Daggubati Purandeswari replaces Somu Veerraju as the new president of Andhra Pradesh BJP unit.

New Delhi: Former union Minister Daggubati Purandeswari is the new president of Andhra Pradesh BJP unit.

The BJP high command here made an announcement to this effect on Tuesday.

---

The BJP also accommodated the former Chief Minister N. Kiran kumar Reddy in its national executive committee as part of its election strategy in Andhra Pradesh.

Purandeswari replaces Somu Veerraju as the AP state president. Veerraju was instrumental in forging an alliance with Jana Sena Party of film actor Pawan Kalyan in 2014 which benefited the party. He was promptly rewarded with MLC post. The BJP-JSP alliance still continues and Purandeswari, daughter of late NTR, is perhaps given the reins in a bid to get some support from the TDP either openly or covertly in the 2024 polls, it is opined.

The 63-year old Purandeswari was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Bapatla in 2004 and served as union Minister of State in the Congress-led UPA government. She again won in 2009 from Visakhapatnam and retained her post in the union Cabinet.

In a changed scenario, Purandeswari joined the BJP and was fielded from Rajampet but she lost. She was serving the BJP as general secretary and now chosen to head the helm of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh.