VIJAYAWADA: Guntur TDP MP and chairman of Amara Raja Group Galla Jayadev on Sunday announced his decision to quit politics so that he could focus on his business. Speaking during a public meeting in Guntur, the 57-year-old observed that it is still difficult for an honest businessman to join politics for serving the people.
Stating that he had forayed into politics to speak for the people in the Parliament, he said, “Out of political limitations, I could not question the Centre and due to business limitations, I could not attack the State government.”
Elaborating on the circumstances that led to him taking the decision, he recalled that after the TDP had exited from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as Special Category Status was not accorded to the State, and had moved a No Confidence Motion against the Central government, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned him twice. “They questioned me for eight hours once and 10 hours the other time,” he pointed out.
“Even today, all my businesses and phones are under the scanner of the ED and other probe agencies,” he said.He added that when he was elected as MP for the second time, he made every effort to represent the people, but had to keep silent out of limitations.
“I thought I could manage both business and politics, however I have learnt now that part time politics is not possible. And so is being free from controversies. Hence, I have decided to quit for now,” he said.
“To run any business, as many as 70 approvals have to be taken from different government departments. The same have to be renewed annually. These approvals sometimes become weapons that are used against businessmen, who account for 24% of public representatives. However, law abiding citizens fight against such weapons in the courts to overcome the hurdles,” he said.
Stating that he never thought he would have to choose between politics and business, he noted, “The circumstances have forced me to take the difficult decision.”
Explaining that he had to take responsibility for Amara Raja Group after his father retired two years ago, he maintained that his company serves the nation too.
“We have 17,000 employees, 15 businesses and a turnover of Rs 14,000 crore. We pay State taxes to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 3,800 crore as central taxes. My target for the next five years is to increase the number of employees to 25,000, turnover to Rs 60,000 crore, State taxes to Rs 5,000 crore and Central taxes to Rs 16,000 crore,” he said. Acknowledging that their decision to set up all industries at one place (Chittoor) created some problems, Jayadev said he has now decided to diversify and expand his business henceforth.
“We have already invested Rs 10,000 crore in Telangana and another Rs 1,200 crore in Tamil Nadu for LED recycling unit. Shortly, we will spread to North India. We are also planning to expand in other countries as well. This will ensure that I am not dependent on one State and Central government,” he explained.
TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said the party will miss Galla in politics. “However, he is only taking a break and the doors of TDP will remain open for him forever,” he added.