Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP and former Telugu actress Vijayashanti joined Congress on 27 February 2014. Differences with TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) was seen as the main reason for her defecton to Congress.

Though she portrayed all kinds of roles, her revolutionary roles in classic Telugu films like "Pratighatana" and "Neti Bharatam" brought her accolades from critics, and chances came to her to act in Hindi films like "Tejaswini." And she earned the label 'Lady Amitab Bachchan' for her action-oriented heroine roles.  

TRS suspended her on 31 July 2013, citing anti-party activities but they did not expel her from the party. It is widely reported that Vijayashanti differed with KCR, when the latter expressed his wish to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in May 2014 from Medak, her current constituency. And she had stated that nobody could prevent her from seeking re-election from Medak, as long as she enjoyed the blessings of Medak's people.

Vijayashanti, 49, whose film career spans three decades, had formed her own party "Thalli Telangana" after quitting Bharatiya Janata Paty in 2005. However, she merged the party into TRS in January 2009. 

Vijayashanti's profile in Parliament's website mentions her as married and her parents' names as Varalakshmi and Srinivasa Prasad.

Here is a brief political timeline of Vijayashanthi.

1997: Vijayashanti joined BJP in the presence of LK Advani and became the party's national general secretary of the women's wing.

1998: She returns to films with "Srivaarante Maavaare" but it did not fetch the expected returns at the box office. Though she has acted in a few more films later, none fared well. 

1999: During the general elections, she was named BJP's contestant from the Cuddapah Lok Sabha seat against Sonia Gandhi of Congress. However, she withdrew from the race after Sonia Gandhi decided to contest from Bellary, when SM Krishana was the Chief Minister of Karnataka. 

2005: Vijayashanti started her own party - Thalli Telangana. Till 2006, she acted in one or two films each year but the films did not do well at the box office. During 2007 and 2008, she involved herself more with the Thalli Telangana party activities and Telangana movement.

2009: Vijayashanti merged her Thalli Telangana party into Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in January 2009, due to lack of strength and support.

2014: On 27 February 2014, Vijayashanti joined Congress and praised Sonia Gandhi for making possible the passage of the Telangana Bill in the parliament.