Razole MLA Rapaka Varaprasad Rao, the lone MLA of Jana Sena Party headed by power star Pawan Kalyan in the Andhra Pradesh assembly, has virtually disowned his party and declared that he is with the YSRCP.
Speaking at a programme in Razole assembly constituency in East Godavari district, Varaprasad said he had, in fact, almost got the YSRC ticket in the 2019 elections, as party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had finalised his candidature for Razole.
“I met Jagan at a guest house and approved my name. However, because of some political equations, the party was forced to give the ticket to Rajeshwara Rao at the last moment,” the MLA said.
Varaprasad went on to say that the Jana Sena Party had approached him and offered him the party ticket as I was sitting idle at home. Since there was considerable Kapu vote bank in the constituency, he had agreed to contest the polls on behalf of Jana Sena ticket.
“After I won the seat, I met Jagan, who regretted for not giving me the ticket. Yet, he agreed to cooperate with me in developing my constituency. He gave me considerable funds for taking up various works in Razole,” he said.
Stating that the existence of Jana Sena Party was doubtful in the coming days, Rapaka said he would sail with the YSR Congress party at present.
“I had won the last elections with the support of other caste groups, because they liked me. This did not happen in any other constituency. Even Pawan himself could not win the elections,” he said.
Admitting that there were groups in the YSRC, Varaprasad said any such differences among the groups would subside if Jagan intervened and conveyed a message.
“There are two YSRC leaders in my constituency and I will take them along with me in the party,” the MLA said.