Telangana politician Padmini Reddy quit Congress to join the Bharatiya Janata Party and returned to the former party within 10 hours on October 11.
Padmini Reddy is the wife of C Damodar Raja Narasimha, a senior member of Congress in Telangana who heads the party's manifesto committee. He had previously served as Deputy Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh under the Congress government.
The BJP had welcomed the new member in a press meet and also tweeted pictures of her induction. The tweet by the party's national general secretary Muralidhar Rao had said that Padmini was impressed by the work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Impressed with the work of PM @narendramodi ji, senior congress leader Smt Padmini Reddy joined BJP today in Hyderabad (Telangana). pic.twitter.com/kDOjBeWrN8
— P Muralidhar Rao (@PMuralidharRao) October 11, 2018
On Thursday, Telangana BJP president K Laxman had also praised Padmini Reddy saying that he commended her work done for women, especially, in the Medak region. He also added that her joining BJP would strengthen the party, reports The News Minute.
Reports suggest that the change from Congress to the BJP was made because Padmini was worried about not securing a seat if she is part of the Congress since tickets are not be granted to members of the same family.
On Thursday evening, Padmini returned to Congress. She told reporters, "I am taking my decision back. I have understood the feelings of the Congress party workers. I am now back to the Congress party."
Telangana BJP leader Laxman and chief spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao tweeted after Padmini left the BJP. They both said that they respect her wishes and the BJP is for the empowerment of women.
My statement on Smt.PadminiReddy decisions. - @BJP4Telangana pic.twitter.com/UPHOt5iy5E
— Krishna Saagar Rao (@BJPKrishnasagar) October 11, 2018
Padmini Reddy is an educated & well informed woman. #BJP is a party which respects and believes in woman empowerment.
— Krishna Saagar Rao (@BJPKrishnasagar) October 11, 2018
When she approached #BJP to join & work for the party, certainly we couldn't have asked her, to get her husband's permission for the same. @BJP4Telangana