Tamil Nadu Congress sees another exit after Khushbu; Apsara Reddy rejoins AIADMK

After Khushbu Sundar, Congress leader Apsara Reddy jumped ship from the party and rejoined the AIADMK on Friday. Reddy - the first transgender woman to be named spokesperson of a major Indian political party (AIADMK) - claimed that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were distant from Tamil people. Highlighting Congress' dismal performance in the past few elections, she said that Gandhis' control over Congress have destroyed the party.

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Apsara Reddy rejoins AIADMK

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Apsara Reddy's political career

Apsara - a journalist by profession, plunged into politics in 2016. After a brief stint in the BJP for less than a month, Reddy joined AIADMK in the presence of then-CM J Jayalalitha and was named the national spokesperson of the party. After the AIADMK supremo's death, Reddy came out in support of VK Sasikala and gained fame by interviewing her for the first time in an English magazine. Later, in 2019, she joined Congress to become the first transgender woman Congres member. She was appointed as the national general secretary of its women wing - All India Mahila Congress (AIMC). Reddy has been known for work in gender justice and women's right and has also addressed the European Parliament.

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Kushboo quits Congress

Prior to Reddy, ex-Congress spokesperson and actress Kushboo Sundar wrote a letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi stating, "Few elements seated at a higher level within the party, people who have no connectivity with the ground reality or public recognition are dictating terms, while people like me who wanted to work for the party sincerely, are being pushed and suppressed". After her resignation, the veteran actress who has been associated with the Congress for six years, joined BJP in the presence of Tamil Nadu BJP President L Murugan, National General Secretary C T Ravi and spokesperson Sambit Patra on October 12. She has since then vociferously opposed the Congress, participating in BJP's 'Vetrivel Yathirai'.

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2021 Tamil Nadu polls

The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. With AIADMK ruling out a coalition with BJP, the saffron party is reportedly in talks with MK Stalin's estranged brother - Alagiri and superstar Rajinikanth - who has often praised PM Modi. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats.