Purandeswari supporters angry over her decision to quit Congress and join BJP

Visakhapatnam: Some of her supporters have openly opposed the decision of Union minister Purandheswari to quit the Congress and join the BJP. They voiced their objections openly at a meeting she held here with her close aides, followers and supporters to share details of her decision to join the BJP.

Some of her staunch followers questioned why she didn’t resign from the party when the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had announced the bifurcation of the state. They accused her of enjoying her post and now quitting for personal gains. “We strongly oppose her move. It would have been appropriate if she had resigned when the CWC resolved in support of state bifurcation. She was honoured in the Congress and was made Union minister twice. We want her to continue in the party,” said youth Congress leader Mr Murthy Yadav.

Another staunch supporter, Mr Sridhar Reddy, who has been organising various programmes of Ms Purandheswari since 2009, said that it was unfortunate that she has decided to quit the Congress which gave her so many opportunities.

Former government whip and Visakhapatnam south MLA, Mr Dronamraju Srinivas, who met Ms Purandheswari minutes before her announcement, also found fault with her decision. “How can she justify joining the BJP, which is a communal party. She should have continued in the Congress. I oppose her decision,” Mr Dronamraju Srinivas said. Visakhapatnam West MLA, Mr Malla Vijay Prasad, said it was an unfortunate decision that Ms Purandheswari has taken to quit the Congress.

Purandeswari said she and other Seemandhra Union ministers met the Group of Ministers overseeing the state’s bifurcation many times and submitted their views and suggestions, which were ignored. She said it was painful to leave the Congress, but she could not continue in the party due to the humiliation caused to her by the party bosses. She said she would like to continue to represent Visakhapatnam, “but there are no conditions from my side to join the BJP”.

She alleged that the Congress has a clandestine understanding with the TRS in Telangana and the YSR Congress in Seemandhra. “The Congress is confident of support from the YSR Congress and the TRS. It has a clandestine understanding with both the regional parties and that has put the future of many leaders like us from Seemandhra at stake. The Congress acted in a unilateral manner,” she charged.