AAP Gets A Right Candidate In AP?

The Aam Aadmi Party has emerged as a big force/opposition in the recent past. Now the party is looking to expand its wings especially down the south and more precisely in the Telugu states. In Andhra Pradesh, AAP is in search of a suitable face who can carry the party’s responsibilities on their shoulders and it looks like it has found a right candidate and he is ex-Joint Director of CBI, VV Lakshmi Narayana.

Lakshmi Narayana knows no introduction. After taking Voluntary Retirement (VRS), he contested for Vizag Parliament seat from Jana Sena. He received 2.88 Lakh votes in the triangular fight but lost. And Lakshmi Narayana’s days did not last long in Jana Sena. He quit the party in January 2020 and since then he is staying away from mainstream politics.

Nonetheless the former CBI officer’s dream is to represent Vizag in Lok Sabha and he expressed his wish to contest again in 2024. Political analysts assumed that he might join any political party while he had his own plans of contesting as an independent candidate. In that line Lakshmi Narayana initiated a social service to common man by floating an NGO. Lakshmi Narayana also faulted the BJP government for privatising the Vizag steel plant and he did manage to get public support through the agitation.

Seeing Lakshmi Narayana’s fight, the AAP has reportedly approached him. A key leader from AAP is frequently in touch with Lakshmi Narayana and is taking note of all political developments in AP. So far AAP and Lakshmi Narayana haven’t held serious talks and buzz is that it might happen very soon.

Simultaneously we hear that Lakshmi Narayana’s near and dear have advised him to contest for the Assembly instead of Lok Sabha. Vizag North Assembly constituency has a reasonable vote bank belonging to Lakshmi Narayana’s community and if the ex-CBI officer makes up his mind, the election would get tougher.

For now Lakshmi Narayana is chalking out his own plans while AAP is keeping a close watch. AAP wants to achieve the status of national political party and that can give them certain advantages.