AP: An Opposition MLA Within the Ruling Alliance?

The ruling alliance has three parties. Even though they have different ideologies, they are moving forward together with a single agenda.

While the Telugu Desam Party is the big brother in the alliance, Jana Sena and the BJP are also adjusting and supporting the government.

However, there is now an interesting debate.

From Visakhapatnam, which the alliance government is giving top priority to, one MLA from within the alliance is being seen as acting like an opposition member within his own camp. Readmore!

The suggestions and advice he gives to the government are generally appreciated by the public. But the way he openly shares these views in the media is said to be causing discomfort to the alliance leadership.

Visakhapatnam North BJP MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju, who recently made headlines by saying that the Bhogapuram airport is too far from Visakhapatnam and that Vande Bharat trains would be a better option, has now raised another question.

He pointed out that Visakhapatnam is being projected as an economic capital and a fast-growing city. In such a case, he questioned the logic of shifting the airport to Bhogapuram.

He argued that travelling to Bhogapuram would cost people more time, money and effort, and therefore requested that the existing Visakhapatnam airport should be continued.

Recently, he also suggested that the Rushikonda buildings should not be leased out as hotels for big shots, but instead be handed over to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, so that they can be used for the benefit of common people.

Earlier, he had commented that the proposed data centre would bring only a few hundred jobs to Visakhapatnam. All his statements are clearly from a public-interest point of view.

However, these comments are reportedly making the alliance leaders uncomfortable. This has led to discussions on whether Vishnu Kumar Raju has become an opposition voice within his own party and the alliance.

Raju, on his part, maintains that he is only speaking for the people and raising issues that matter to them.

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