Bharatiya Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh, which has been desperate to get some big names to make an impact in the coming elections in the state, got a shot in the arm with senior Telugu Desam Party MP and former Union minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s niece Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju joining the BJP on Tuesday.
The scion of Vizianagaram royal family joined the BJP in the presence of BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana, former union minister Purandeswari, MP Kambhampati Haribabu and other leaders in Visakhapatnam.
Sanchaita is the daughter of former minister and TDP leader P Ananda Gajapathi Raju, who passed away in 2013. Her mother Uma Gajapathi Raju was also a prominent Congress leader and an MP during the era of Rajiv Gandhi.
A qualified lawyer by profession with a media background, Sanchaita is now putting her knowledge to work for the less fortunate by founding an NGO named Social Awareness Newer Alternatives (SANA) which would help extend new technologies to improve clean drinking water supply and sanitation in the villages in coastal Andhra districts of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam.
Her mother Uma Gajapathi Raju is also part of her NGO. Though she is no more active in the Congress, it is not known whether she would also join the BJP.
Sanchaita produced many award winning documentaries and corporate films for both the private sector as well as the Government of India.
There was a talk that Ashok Gajapathi Raju also might join the BJP sooner or later, as he was promised the Governor’s post if the NDA comes to power at the Centre again. However, Ashok has so far been a committed leader of the TDP.