Daggubati Purandeswari, who has resigned as the Union Minister of State for Human Resources and quit Congress party protesting the division of united Andhra Pradesh, is all set to join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with her husband Daggubati Venkateswara Rao, who is a Congress MLA in Andhra Pradesh, say media reports on 6 March 2014.
She is to meet BJP senior leaders like LK. Advani, Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj in Delhi on 7 March 2014, reported NDTV.
Purandeswari is the daughter of late N Basava Rama Tarakam and NT Rama Rao, renowned actor-turned politician and founder of Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The present president of TDP Chandrababu Naidu is her brother-in-law. One of the top hero actors of Tollywood Balakrishna and TDP leader Hari Krishan are two among her brothers.
In the politically fluid Andhra Pradesh, Naidu is also said to be trying to make an electoral alliance with BJP for the April-May Lok Sabha polls.
BJP, in which Purandeswari is going to join, supprted the division of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh and helped the Congress-led UPA government to pass the bill on Telangana state formantion. But, BJP has vowed to fight with Centre for special package to develop the residual AP or Seemandhra.
Purandeswari is from Seemandhra region and she represents Visakhapatnam parliamentary constituency. The 55-year-old former minister belongs to Kamma caste, a strong supporter of TDP. She stated that joining BJP is not just her wish, but people of her constituency have also suggested her to join the party.
Purandeswari was first elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from Bapatla parliamentary constituency in AP. She contested from Visakhapatnam in 2009 general election and became a minister in the UPA government.
Purandeswari can speak four languages- English, Telugu, Hindi and Tamil. She was educated in Chennai and Mumbai. Apart from a BA degree in literature, she has done a Diploma in Gemology and established Hyderabad Institute of Gem and Jewellery.
Gifted with oratorical skills, Purandeswari addressed the White House symposium on 'Advancing Global Literacy' on an invition from Laura Bush.
