Vijayawada: 4 days after quitting YSRCP, Ambati Rayudu meets Pawan Kalyan
Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan presenting a silver idol of Lord Ganesh to ex-cricketer Ambati Rayudu at the party headquarters in Mangalagiri on Wednesday
Vijayawada : After failing to have the seat of his choice in ruling YSRCP, former cricketer Ambati Rayudu appeared to be knocking at the door of Jana Sena Party to test his electoral luck. Rayudu on Wednesday met Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, four days after he resigned from the YSRCP.
He went to JSP party office at Mangalagiri in Guntur district amid speculation that he is planning to join the JSP.
The meeting lasted for about three hours and the ex-cricketer discussed various issues with the JSP chief. Ten days after entering politics, Rayudu had announced his resignation from the ruling party on January 6. He had stated that he would stay out of politics for a while.
He had later posted on ‘X’ that he would be representing Mumbai Indians in the upcoming ILT20 from January 20 in Dubai, which requires him to be politically non-affiliated whilst playing professional sport.
Rayudu had joined the ruling party on December 28 and YSRCP president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had welcomed him into the fold. He was reportedly upset as he could not get Lok Sabha ticket for Guntur from YSRCP.
It was in April this year that the middle-order batsman had decided to enter politics and declared that he wanted to serve the people. There was a buzz in political circles that the cricketer, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, may contest Andhra Pradesh Assembly or Lok Sabha polls, slated to be held in April-May.
Pawan Kalyan has already announced that JSP will contest the polls in alliance with the TDP.
Rayudu played for India in 55 ODIs between 2014 and 2019, and six international T20 matches, and scored 1,694 runs, including three centuries and 10 fifties. Rayudu announced his retirement from the IPL in May after CSK won the 2023 tournament.