It has been a long time since ace Indian cricketer-turned-politician Ambati Rayudu was last heard of in political circles.
He was initially active in the YSR Congress Party and later in the Jana Sena Party. However, after that, he has largely remained absent from Andhra Pradesh’s political scene.
Rayudu made a surprise appearance at the 43rd state conference of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), held in Visakhapatnam from January 24 to 26.
During the event, the cricketer-turned-politician addressed the gathering and openly expressed his admiration for the BJP.
In his speech, he stated that the BJP is the only party that genuinely works for the nation, indicating his growing inclination towards the party.
A few months before the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections held in May 2024, Rayudu had shown interest in joining the YSRCP and was even expected to contest the elections on their ticket.
He had aspired to contest from the Guntur Lok Sabha seat, but party president and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy did not take his candidature seriously. Within a few days of joining YSRCP, Rayudu exited the party.
He then shifted his allegiance to Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party. In a tweet, he expressed his willingness to support Pawan Kalyan in his bid to become chief minister.
Following this, he met Pawan Kalyan personally, after which the latter officially announced him as a star campaigner for the party.
Rayudu also stated that he had decided to support Pawan after discussions with his family and close associates and reiterated his desire to see him as the CM.
However, after the elections, Rayudu remained politically inactive, raising questions about his commitment to Jana Sena.
Now, fresh speculations suggest that Rayudu is once again reconsidering his political stance and is preparing to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
With several prominent cricketers already having joined the BJP in the past, Rayudu seems to be following the same path, sources said.
