She was once the indomitable leader in the political arena. Such was her magic on screen that she was called the 'Lady Amitabh'. Her larger than life image made big heroes distance themselves from her and she is fondly called as Ramulamma by her admirers. But all that is past. Although as an actor she commands great admiration still, as a politician she has definitely scripted her own downfall.
Vijayashanthi started her innings in politics in 1998 during the time of Vajpayee and Advani and she was the national chief of BJP Mahila Morcha. She was even considered by the high command to fight against Sonia Gandhi in Bellary in 1999. After BJP came under Chandrababu's pressure to not commit anything in favour of separate Telangana, she started her own outfit 'Talli Telangana' party and later she merged it with TRS. She won both as an MP and also an MLA when she was with the then TRS (currently BRS) party.
Dramatically, the day when Telangana was announced, she switched to Congress but alleges that BRS threw her out. She was made a star campaigner but she lost in the assembly elections from Medak and there were no takers for her anymore. Slowly she drifted away from Congress and joined the BJP and called this as her homecoming.
However, Telangana BJP too has become like Congress, ridden with factionalism but the only rider is no one fights here in the open. Unable to decide whom she has to side with, she has become a loner. Recently Telangana BJP leaders organized a grand function to mark her 25 years in politics but all said and done, she is not getting any recognition.
Both BJP and Vijayashanthi are unable to figure out any winning seat for her in the next elections and despite their best efforts, even BJP leadership feels she is now an outdated politician. She has no new party to go with though she seems to be sending replies to Revanth Reddy's congratulatory messages. It may be curtains down finally for Ramulamma.
