Purandeswari to head BJP manifesto panel

##BIG-IMAGE#Guntur: As a part of preparations for state Assembly elections, BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana on Wednesday constituted BJP state manifesto committee headed by former Union minister Daggubati Purandeswari and former chief secretary I Y R Krishna Rao as convener.   Other members of the committee are P Vijaya Babu, MLC P N V Madhav, Dasari Srinivasulu, Shaik Mastan, Paka Satyanarayana, K Kapileswaraiah, P.Sanyasi Raju Murali, Sudhish Rambhotla and Prof. D A R Subrahmanyam. 

According to a press release by party state president, the  committee has been tasked with preparing the manifesto for the party for the coming Assembly elections in the state. The appointment of Purandeswari comes amid speculation that she was planning to quit the party to join YSRCP along with her son Hitesh Chenchuram and husband Daggubati Venkateswara Rao.

It may be recalled here that Kanna Lakshminarayana was installed as BJP state president after he announced his joining the YSRCP and even sent media alerts on the possible date of joining. Rumours have been doing rounds that Daggubati couple are seeking Parchur Assembly ticket in Prakasam district for their son Hitesh Chenchuram from YSRCP. Sources also say if Purandeswari shifts her loyalty to the YSRCP, she will be fielded as Vijayawada Lok Sabha candidate by the party. 

It is learnt that the latest development of appointing Purandeswari as manifesto committee chief is an attempt by the saffron party to stop her departure. BJP in AP, which targeted defeat of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu as its main goal rather than coming into power on its own, has been witnessing exodus of senior leaders from the party. BJP Rajamahendravaram urban MLA Akula Satyanarayana has already announced his decision to quit the party. There is also speculation that some other MLAs  and leaders are going leave the party.  

Meanwhile, party MLC Somu Veerraju insisted that Purandeswari will continue in the party. “Purandeswari will continue in the BJP in future also. All those reports of her joining YSRCP are just false propaganda, being carried out by some political parties to tarnish her image and for their political mileage,” he told The Hans India.