Visakhapatnam North MLA Penmetsa Vishnu Kumar Raju is likely to quit BJP and join TDP ahead of the 2019 general elections. Rumours are spread in political circles that the TDP leadership has not appointed any party incharge for Vizag North assembly segment just because it wants Raju to contest next elections from here.

An outspoken and vocal speaker, Vishnu Kumar Raju has carried out his duties as BJP Legislature Party leader in Assembly all these years efficiently by countering TDP leaders in various debates on Centre’s injustice to AP after state division. But in the recent Assembly session, Raju’s role in passing of unanimous resolution became a point of concern for BJP top leaders.

At the recent Kakinada meeting, addressed by senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, the issue of Vishnu Kumar Raju not objecting to TDP’s unanimous resolution against Centre came up for discussion. Though senior leaders took objection to Raju’s role, the Vizag MLA strongly defended himself saying that the unanimous resolution was not formally passed by Assembly as voting was not taken up.

Raju faced criticism from within the party ever since and he was stated to have spoken about his likelihood of leaving BJP sooner or later with his friends and followers. Hearing about this, rival parties began efforts to invite him. YCP leaders asked Raju to contest 2019 elections on their party ticket from Vizag North. After he did not accept it, YCP had allotted this ticket to KK Raju.

Now, the TDP has kept its party incharge’s post in this segment vacant. Political observers are interpreting it as an indication of bringing in Vishnu Kumar Raju to make him contest on TDP ticket from Vizag North.