Andhra Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party president Daggubati Purandeshwari seems to have become a virtual loner in her party with regard to extending solidarity with Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the alleged skill development corporation scam.
Purandeshwari was the first person to condemn the arrest of Naidu, saying it was illegal and done due to sheer vengeance of YSR Congress party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
But she did not get much support from any of her party leaders. There were a comment or two from leaders like P Vishnu Kumar Raju and some Telangana leaders like G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay and T Raja Singh, but they were all subdued reactions.
No other senior leaders like G V L Narasimha Rao, Somu Veerraju and Vishnu Vardhan Reddy gave any statement in support of Naidu, let alone the top leaders form the BJP national leadership.
The BJP ranks also did not take part in any of the protest rallies organised by their alliance partner Jana Sena Party headed by Pawan Kalyan.
Yet, Purandeshwari continued to extend support to Naidu in the skill development corporation case and found fault with the CID for witch-hunting Naidu.
“The CID authorities have not visited even a single skill development centre, where technical knowledge is being imparted to students,” she alleged.
While stating that she was in favour of prosecuting the corrupt people, whoever they might be, Purandeshwari alleged that the CID was jumping to the conclusions without completing the investigation.
“It is for the courts to decide whether Naidu is corrupt or not. Truth will come out after the conclusion of arguments," she said.
Apparently, Purandeshwari is unhappy with the stand taken by the Centre towards the TDP.
She is apprehensive that if the BJP has to forego friendship with Pawan Kalyan, it may have to face a humiliating defeat in the elections. And the blame will come on to her!
