The BJP on Friday organised a meeting to coincide with the completion of 25 years of political life by its leader and film star Vijayashanti.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Vijayashanti said the 25 years that she had spent in politics appeared to be a long journey to her compared to 43 years that she had spent in film industry. She recalled that she had made her entry into politics through BJP at the instance of senior leaders .M. Venkaiah Naidu and Ch. Vidyasagar Rao.
It was a heart-breaking experience for her to quit BJP and float a party to secure statehood for Telangana. Then, she was lured into TRS by K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He tried to ensure her defeat in the election to Medak Lok Sabha constituency in 2009. However, she overcame the challenge.
Ms. Vijayashanti lamented that one more term of rule for Bharat Rashtra Samiti under Mr. Rao will spell doom for the State. He will withdraw all kinds of pensions to poor and expose them to vulnerable conditions. She also said separate Telangana was her childhood dream. On the day when the Bill on statehood came up in Lok Sabha, Mr. Rao sent her into the well of the House to counter protests against the legislation while he himself quietly walked out.
BJP State in-charge Tarun Chugh and State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar lauded the role of Ms. Vijayashanti in the struggles for statehood.
