Emotional scenes were witnessed at the office-cum-residence of former Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal after he returned to the city for the first time after the Lok Sabha passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, on Saturday.
Several of Mr. Rajagopal’s followers broke down and others raised slogans demanding that he continued in politics. Former Mayor Mallika Begum was seen sobbing. Many admirers went to Gannavaram airport to receive Mr. Rajagopal, who came from Hyderabad. In an informal chat with the media, Mr. Rajagopal said that his decision to quit politics was four years old and he was committed to his word.
One of the objectives behind coming to the city was to meet his followers and discuss with them. The former MP said that he would even visit some villages to talk to people. Though Vijayawada was not his ‘Janmabhoomi’ (birth place), he said that he considered the place his “karma bhoomi” and would therefore continue to operate from here doing social service.
Asked about where he wanted the capital, Mr. Rajagopal said that politicians should not interfere in the matter and leave it to the experts and the majority of people of the new State.
