Jana Sena remains silent on Vijayawada politics

• JSP chief yet to take initiatives to strengthen party in the city limits
• PRP won the East, West Assembly seats in 2009 polls and lost Central seat with marginal votes

Vijayawada: Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan is yet to break his silence on Vijayawada city politics though the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), once headed by his brother k Chiranjeevi had strong track record in the 2009 elections.

Interestingly, Pawan selected Vijayawada city for party headquarters and residential purpose but he did not take any initiative to strengthen party in the city limits.

In fact, the PRP, in which Pawan Kalyan had considerable stakes, had won two seats in the total three Assembly segments in the city while its candidate was defeated with only marginal 848 votes in the third Assembly seat.

It had also got 1.65 lakh votes for Vijayawada parliament seat in the same election.

But the Jana Sena did not finalise candidates for these assembly seats so far or did not give consent to any leader to work as party candidate for strengthening party at grass root level for the forthcoming elections.

Former MLAs Yalamanchali Ravi and Velampalli Srinivas were elected on PRP ticket from Vijayawada East constituency and West constituency respectively.

Surprisingly, both the leaders were elected for the first time for the Assembly, while Vangaveeti Radhakrishna lost with marginal 848 votes contesting on PRP banner.

Similarly, Chanumolu Rajeev, who was a new face to politics also got 1.65 lakh votes in Vijayawada Parliament constituency though he did not participate in election campaign actively.

Though the PRP failed to register its grand entry into politics across the State, it had achieved success in the city.

Now, former MLAs Yalamanchali Ravi and Velampalli Srinivas are with YSR Congress while Chanumolu Rajeev is not active in politics. But the Jana Sena party leadership did not take any initiative to welcome the previous leaders and workers into the party fold.

Besides, the Jana Sena did not give responsibility to any leader in the city to build the party keeping in view of previous track record.

Rumours are doing rounds in political circles that former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna, who is not happy in YSR Congress, would join Jana Sena.

But he also remained silence since his candidature was rejected for Vijayawada central ticket by YSR Congress leadership.

Jana Sena local leaders, on condition of anonymity, said that the party may take decision on the selection of candidates at the time of election only.