Stars get plum posts in BJP ahead of Assembly polls

Chennai: BJP’s star power is on display ahead of 2016 Assembly polls. The saffron party on Thursday gave key postings to actor and former DMK Union minister D. Napoleon, popular music composer-lyricist Gangai Amaran and a few others from Kollywood who had joined the party in the presence of party chief Amit Shah in December last year.

While Napoleon has been made vice-president of the state unit, Gangai Amaran, brother of music maestro Ilaiyaraja, has been appointed as patron of the art wing of the BJP. With Assembly elections due for next year, the BJP wants to show its ‘star’ power and apparently does not want to lag behind its national arch rival viz. the Congress.

Already the Congress has roped in actress Khusbhoo and nominated her as the party’s spokesperson and actress Nagma was made the general secretary of Mahila Congress.

Announcing their names, BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said the party has appointed Napoleon as its vice-president. Puratchi Kavidasan, who was earlier the vice-president of Makkal Thamizhagam party and subsequently merged it with the BJP, has been appointed as state secretary. Renowned music composer, lyricist and singer Gangai Amaran has been asked to take care of the party’s cultural wing.

Veteran filmmaker and father of actor Dhanush — Kasthuri Raja — has been inducted into the executive committee of the party. Yesteryear film actress Kutty Padmini, who was recently elected as executive committee member of Nadigar Sangam, is the new vice-president of propaganda wing of the party and choreographer-actress Gayathri Raghuram is state secretary of the art wing.

Former MP Malaisami has been appointed as president of the election committee, former Vedaranyam MLA Puratchikavidasan has been named as the new state secretary.

Others who have been given postings include: Col. Pandian (state president of ex-servicemen welfare wing) Dr Saravanan (medical wing general secretary and Geetha Rajasekhar (state executive committee member).