Senior leader, former MP and former minister, Chegondi Venkata Harirama Jogaiah on Saturday released a statement asking the TDP and the Jana Sena leadership to declare Pawan Kalyan as the chief minister candidate for the next election.

He wrote an open letter to the people welcoming the TDP and Jana Sena alliance in Andhra Pradesh to defeat the corrupt YSR Congress Party. He said that people of the state, particularly the Kapus, were looking forward to seeing that the YSR Congress is defeated in the next election.

Jogaiah said the Kapu community is welcoming the efforts to bring the TDP and the Jana Sena together to defeat the YSR Congress. He further said that the Kapu community also wants Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan to become the chief minister of the state.

He further said that the community is looking forward to seeing a Kapu leader becoming the chief minister. It would be possible only for a Kapu chief minister to extend reservations for the Kapus in education and employment.

Jogaiah said that the Kapu community would not compromise on the two issues – chief minister post for Pawan Kalyan and reservations for the community in education and employment. He also wanted the TDP to consider these issues and accept Pawan Kalyan’s candidature for the chief minister post.

He expressed confidence that the TDP leadership too would realise the importance of the Kapu community for the next election and the alliance with the Jana Sena. He wanted a clear statement from the TDP before approaching the Jana Sena for alliance.