HYDERABAD: In what is considered a minor jolt to the Congress party in the Coastal districts, Vijayawada East MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna Sunday joined Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) in the presence of party founder Chiranjeevi.
Radhakrishna quit the Congress and faxed his resignation to the party high command. He, however, said that he would continue as an MLA as his term would last only for three more months. Differences with Devineni Nehru, Kankipadu MLA forced him to switch his loyalties, he said.
Welcoming him into the party, Chiranjeevi said that after Pawan Kalyan was made Yuva Rajyam president several youths were attracted to the party. As a result, ‘dynamic youth leader’ Radhakrishna joined the party, Chiranjeevi said.
Recalling his association with Radhakrishna’s father Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, Chiranjeevi said Ranga used to visit the sets of his film shootings. “Ranga even suggested me to join active politics,’’ the PRP president recalled.
Chiranjeevi said Radhakrishnan joined the PRP to fulfill the aspirations of his late father. “Ranga was a real hero in politics,’’ Chiranjeevi remarked.
Radha said the Congress party totally ignored him despite the “sacrifice’’ made by his father. “My father lost his life working for the Congress.
I joined the party to serve the people but despite being in the ruling party, I had to literally fight for everything,’’ he lamented.
He said that he joined the PRP as he liked the policies of Chiranjeevi.
Yuva Rajyam president Pawan Kalyan was also present at the press meet. According to sources, Pawan Kalyan was instrumental in bringing Radhakrishna into the party.
“Radha was a good friend of mine.
He was a dynamic leader who always stood for the weaker sections,’’ Pawan Kalyan said.