While the BJP in Andhra Pradesh has reposed faith in old warhorse and former union minister Daggubati Purandeswari, it appears her family members have other ideas. They seem to think that the family has a better future prospect if it stayed with the opposition Telugu Desam Party.
According to highly placed sources, Purandeswari's husband Daggubati Venkateswara Rao, who was with the ruling YSRCP in the 2019 elections, has stayed politically neutral ever since. He has not played any active role in the YSRCP after his defeat. But, if sources are to be believed, he is likely to join hands with the TDP this time.
Sources say that the deal is that he and his son Hitesh Chenchuram would join the TDP and in return, the party would give a ticket to Hitesh. In fact, Hitesh wanted to contest in 2019 itself, but could not because of his citizenship issues. Hitesh is a PIO with a passport issued by other country. This time around, those issues have been sorted out and he would contest the elections on TDP ticket.
This would imply that Purandeswari would head the BJP, while her husband and son would be in the YSRCP. If all goes well, then Hitesh Chenchuram would even contest the elections and Purandeswari may well have to campaign against him in the 2024 election. This only means that a gripping family drama will playout in the state in 2024.