Veerappan’s daughter joins BJP, says focus on improving lives

Bengaluru: Her father evoked fear among the police and the public. It took years for multiple forces before the dreaded sandalwood smuggler and forest brigand, Veerappan, was hunted down.

Unlike Veerappan, his dau­ghter, Vidhya Rani, has chosen a saner path. The 29-year-old joined the BJP at an event in Krishnagiri in Karnataka on Saturday. She was among 1,000 PMK members who moved to the saffron camp.

Vidhya said she was inspired by the welfare sche­m­es of PM Modi, a media report said. “Ever since my meeting with former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan two years ago, when he asked me to join the party and serve the people, I have been contemplating this move,” she told the daily.

Vidhya says she is keen to improve people's lives through education irrespective of their social and religious affiliation. She has been running a tuition centre in Krishnagiri for the past one year, to support students from all walks of life.

The young woman says she believes in “social service”. “I don’t relate to any particular community, I believe in humanity,” she says. Karnataka BJP secretary KS Narendran the party is yet to decide on a post for Vidya.