The YSRC suffered a jolt in Visakhapatnam North constituency with one of its leaders G.V. Ravi Raju resigning and joining the BJP.
The former corporator joined the BJP on Sunday in the presence of BJP State president and Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha nominee K. Haribabu and North constituency candidate P. Vishnu Kumar Raju.
Mr. Ravi Raju, who was YSRC city president and in charge of Srikakulam and Viziangaram districts, has been in the party since Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy formed it. He aspired for the North constituency but was denied it.
Mr. Ravi Raju said apart from that he was totally neglected in the party. “Pained at the treatment I have resigned,” he said.
In a letter to the party president, he said he had been in the party since its inception and was given an opportunity to hold party positions in the city and North Andhra districts.
He had joined the party because of his respect for Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and hoping that Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy would give opportunities to the deserving like his father did.
However, it was proved that character and people’s views were not more important than money. Unable to cope with money politics, he was leaving the party, he said in the letter.
Mr. Ravi Raju said he would actively campaign for the Lok Sabha and the Assembly nominees. Several ward-level leaders also quit the party along with him, he said. A large number of his followers were present at the meeting.
