Having failed to get the ticket for his Narasapuram Lok Sabha seat in the coming elections, former MP Kanumuri Raghu Ramakrishna Raju is fretting and fuming at the Telugu Desam Party for not coming to his rescue and also the Bharatiya Janata Party for betraying his faith.
In an interview to a television news channel, Raju said there was no question of accepting the TDP ticket for any assembly seat and that he was firm on contesting from Narasapuram Lok Sabha seat only.
“Why should I run away from Narasapuram and go to Vizianagaram Lok Sabha seat or other assembly seat? This is my seat. I will contest from Narasapuram only. I fought against the Jagan Mohan Reddy government tooth and nail, risking my own life. Why should I not get the ticket?” he asked.
Raju took a dig at TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, albeit indirectly, for betraying his cause.
“I had a strong belief that he would get me the ticket from any of three alliance partners – TDP, BJP or Jana Sena. He believed the BJP and allocated the seat to the BJP, which selected some other candidate,” he lamented.
He wondered how the people would believe the TDP president that he would get funds from the Centre and complete the Polavaram project.
“When he can’t do justice to me, how can he do justice to the people of the state?” he asked.
Raju said the TDP chief was in a helpless situation after the BJP gave the party ticket to another candidate after taking Narasapuram from the TDP.
“The BJP should reconsider its decision and give the ticket to me,” he asserted.