Maverick Lok Sabha member from Narasapur and rebel YSR Congress party leader Kanumuru Raghu Ramakrishna Raju has been keeping the media guessing as to which party he would join before the next general elections in Andhra Pradesh.
One day, he heaps praises on Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh. He had met Naidu in New Delhi in the past and complimented Lokesh for crossing the milestone of 2,000 km of his padayatra.
This has given rise to the speculations that he would join the TDP and contest the next elections on the TDP ticket. But Raghu Ramakrishna Raju never made any statement on joining the party.
In the same breath, the MP regularly speaks in support of Jana Sena Party and its president Pawan Kalyan. He is all praise for Pawan for making efforts to bring the BJP and the TDP on the same track for an alliance, so as to prevent the split of anti-establishment vote in AP.
Against this backdrop, Raju met Pawan Kalyan in New Delhi on Wednesday. Obviously, both of them discussed the ongoing political developments in Andhra Pradesh.
Sources said Pawan Kalyan has invited Raju into Jana Sena Party, as the party needs strong leaders like him in East and West Godavari districts. He reportedly offered to field him again for the Lok Sabha elections from Narasapur or Eluru next year.
However, Raju is said to be keen on contesting the assembly elections this time, instead of Lok Sabha elections and conveyed the same to Pawan Kalyan. Apparently, he is of the view that he can be more visible and heard as an MLA, rather than as an MP.
At present, he is said to be weighing pros and cons of joining either the TDP or Jana Sena Party. He thinks he would get the support of the BJP national leadership, if he joins the Jana Sena, instead of the TDP. But the winning chances would be more, if he joins the TDP, sources added.