Gulte News
Lagadapati Rajagopal, a senior politician in united Andhra Pradesh who secured victory in the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections as the Congress MP for Vijayawada, is making headlines once again. Popularly known as the Andhra Octopus, Lagadapati took a hiatus from politics after resigning from his MP post in protest against the division of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. However, recent developments suggest a potential comeback, with reports indicating that he may contest as a Member of Parliament from the TDP.
Chandrababu Naidu, working tirelessly for a strong performance in the upcoming general elections, is actively scouting for candidates with winning potential. Lagadapati Rajagopal has caught the attention of TDP leaders, and there is a growing campaign to bring him into the party fold and field him as an MP candidate.
During the TDP government’s tenure in Andhra Pradesh in 2014, Lagadapati had multiple meetings with Chandrababu Naidu. While his earlier survey predicting TDP’s victory in 2019 did not align with the actual results, speculations about his potential candidacy with TDP were rife during that time. Now, it is strongly suggested that Lagadapati is seriously considering contesting in the upcoming elections.
A recent meeting of Lagadapati’s key followers in Vijayawada has fueled speculation about his return to politics. TDP leaders have reportedly reached out to him, proposing that he contest from one of the parliamentary constituencies in Vijayawada, Guntur, or Eluru. Despite TDP currently having MPs in Vijayawada and Guntur, there seems to be dissatisfaction within the party regarding Keshineni Nani and Galla Jayadev. As a solution, Chandrababu Naidu is rumored to have offered these constituencies to Lagadapati, who is said to be considering the option of contesting from Eluru. If all goes according to plan, it appears likely that Lagadapati will make a political comeback and contest from Eluru on behalf of the TDP.
