Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader G V L Narasimha Rao, whose Rajya Sabha term is coming to an end next month, has done extensively lobbying to get the party ticket for the Lok Sabha elections from Visakhapatnam.
Even before the alliance between the BJP and the Telugu Desam Party materialised, GVL has been nurturing the constituency by launching “GVL for Vizag” campaign to get into the people.
But the alliance with the TDP shattered all his hopes, as the BJP gave up the Visakhapatnam seat in favour of the TDP, in its bargain for Rajahmundry seat, which has gone to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s sister-in-law and BJP state unit president Daggubati Purandeshwari.
A thoroughly disappointed GVL on Monday announced that he would chalk out his future course of action to continue his fight.
He, however, said he would continue to fight for the development of Visakhapatnam while remaining in the BJP.
GVL said several party leaders, workers, friends and well-wishers were worried over the party denying him an opportunity to contest the Lok Sabha elections.
“I have been staying put in Visakhapatnam and agitating for the issues pertaining to Visakhapatnam. While I could solve some of the issues, I fought for the other pending issues,” he said.
Stating that the GVL for Vizag is a continuous exercise, the outgoing Rajya Sabha member said he would serve the people irrespective of his position and status.
“I am sure I will get the due recognition from people in the coming days,” he said.
Sources said GVL might stay away from the campaign in favour of TDP candidate M Bharat, though he might not work against the latter’s defeat.
“But he is terribly upset with Purandeshwari’s crooked politics to see that her nephew wins the Visakhapatnam seat,” sources close to him said.
