Former Rajahmundry MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar has not been associated with any political party after he was expelled from the Congress party for his defiant attitude during bifurcation of combined Andhra Pradesh state in 2014.
Though it was initially rumoured that Vundavalli might get closer to YSR Congress party led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, he somehow maintained safe distance from it. At the same time, he has been active in politics though he has not joined any other party.
In the last one year, Vundavalli has been critical of Jagan government on various issues, including the three capitals decision.
At times, he appeared toeing the line of Telugu Desam Party led by N Chandrababu Naidu, but he did give any such hint.
On Wednesday, Vundavalli made a surprising statement, calling for an alternative to the YSR Congress party and the TDP. He described YSRC as a party of Reddys and the TDP of Kammas.
“We can see how the Jagan government has been appointing only Reddys in majority of posts. In the past, the TDP, too, did the same appointing Kammas in key positions. What about the other castes, who account for 80 per cent of the population?” he asked.
Vundavalli said there was a need for a strong leader who can galvanise the weaker sections, as Jayaprakash Narayan had done during the Indira Gandhi regime.
He said Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan had failed to emerge as leaders because their main objective was to grab power.
“We need leaders who raise their voices on behalf of these 80 per cent of people and pull up the government in the assembly and force the government to implement the promises,” he said.
The former MP charged the YSRC leaders with threatening to kill him, if he criticised the Jagan government.
“The more they threaten, the more strong my voice would be,” he said.