A fortnight after popular south industry actor Khushbu Sundar joined the BJP, there is speculation that her contemporary and veteran actor Vijayashanthi is also likely to quit the Congress and return to the BJP. Vijayashanthi, who earned the moniker of ‘lady Amitabh’ for her angry-action roles, had begun her political career with the BJP, before forming her own party and then joining the Congress.
Speculations of the veteran actor joining the BJP gained momentum after she had a meeting with Minister of State, Union Home Minister G Kishan Reddy earlier this week. The meeting lasted for at least an hour.
Despite several media reports speculating about her joining the BJP, the actor has not denied the news, giving credence to the rumours. One news report claimed that Vijayashanthi might join the party on November 5 in the BJP Headquarters in New Delhi. Responding to it, a source close to the actor said, “Maybe that date is too early.”
The source said that the actor is likely to make a statement clarifying the news in a couple of days.
In fact the speculation of Vijayashanthi joining the BJP has been going on for the past one year. In September 2019, the actor had deliberations with the former National Secretary of the BJP G Muralidhar Rao and other RSS leaders. However, they could not come to a consensus.
In the Congress, the actor was given the role of chairperson for the Telangana Congress Campaign Committee. She was one of the star campaigners during the state Assembly polls held in 2018.
After her brief stint during the polls, the actor yet again remained inactive, except for tweeting occasionally. She made a comeback into films with Mahesh Babu’s Sarileru Neekevvaru, which released earlier this year.
Vijayashanthi began her political career as the general secretary of BJP women’s wing in 1997. She later formed her own party--Talli Telangana party-- to support the cause of Telangana statehood. The party was merged with the TRS party in 2009, who were fighting for the same cause. After differences with Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, she quit the party and joined the Congress in 2014.