Former UPA minister Purandeswari likely to join BJP

Visakhapatnam, Mar 6: In a further setback to beleaguered Congress in Seemandhra, former Union Minister D Purandeswari is likely to join BJP. Purandeswari, Lok Sabha member from Visakhapatnam, held a meeting with her supporters here today after which she said she would meet top BJP leaders in Delhi tomorrow.

"I have come here to share my decision. I have spoken to all. I am not exerting pressure on anybody to be with me and come with me. I have left it to them. The situation is such that we have to take a painful decision," said the Union Minister of State for Commerce.

"Tomorrow, I am going to Delhi. I will meet Advaniji, Sushma Swarajji and Arun Jaitleyji. I will have to talk to them first," said Purandeswari, daughter of TDP founder late N T Rama Rao.

"From my side, there won't be any conditions. All have supported me in the last five years since I came to Visakhapatnam," she said in response to a question.

"I feel Congress is thinking of taking the support of KCR (TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao) and indirectly, if we may say so, with YSRCP here (Seemandhra) if they (Congress) do not get adequate number of seats. So, alliances, it happens," she said when pointed out about possible alliance of BJP with TDP.

"I wish to contest from here (Visakhapatnam in the coming Lok Sabha elections)," added Purandeswari. A number of Congress MLAs and other leaders in Seemandhra have joined TDP and YSRCP in protest against the division of Andhra Pradesh.

PTI