Chennai Jul 15 (PTI) Slain sandalwood smuggler Veerappan's daughter Vidhya Rani, kin of late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran and film personalities were among those appointed to Tamil Nadu BJP's state executive committee and various cells on Wednesday.

Rani, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in February this year, has been appointed as state youth wing vice-president, the party announced in a statement here.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Directs Immediate removal of Guna Collector and SP After Farmer Couple Consumed Poison: Live News Breaking and Coronavirus Updates on July 15, 2020.

The appointments are part of the initiative of BJP state president L Murugan, who assumed charge of the post in March this year, to revamp the party in Tamil Nadu, where elections are due next year.

A dreaded brigand who operated in the forest areas in the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border and once kidnapped Kannada thespian Rajkumar, Veerappan was gunned down by the state police' Special Task Force in 2004.

Also Read | Sachin Pilot Camp Hits Back, 2 Ex-BSP MLAs Release Video Asking Ashok Gehlot 'What Were We Offered to Join Congress?'.

AIADMK founder Ramachandran's adopted daughter Geetha and grandson of M C Chakrapani (brother of the late chief minister) R Praveen, who joined the BJP in 2017, and actor Radha Ravi have been made members of the party's state executive committee.

The party also got more star power with Murugan announcing the appointment of actor Vijayakumar and directors Gangai Amaran and Kasthuri Raja as special organisers in the state executive committee.

Kasthuri Raja is the father of top star Dhanush, son-in- law of superstar Rajinikanth.

Music Director Dhina and director Perarasu are secretaries of art and culture cell, while actor R K Suresh is the new vice president of state OBC cell.

Murugan also appointed office bearers for the party's state executive committee comprising 38 members, youth wing, women's wing and various cells including fishermen, weavers and minorities.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)