Senior Telugu Desam Party leader and Andhra Pradesh Assembly Deputy Speaker K Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju, popularly known as RRR, reacted strongly to the criticism made by Mahasena Rajesh that he was no longer attacking YSR Congress Party president and former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, despite being politically targeted during the latter’s tenure.
Speaking to reporters, RRR said he was the first person to openly question the “debts and excesses” committed during Jagan’s tenure as chief minister.
He recalled that others began raising similar questions only nearly two years later.
He said he had consistently exposed what he described as Jagan’s mistakes through his “Rachabanda” public outreach programmes until the YSRCP chief was defeated in the Assembly elections.
“My political objective has already been achieved with Jagan’s defeat. So, why should I target him again now?” he asked.
Questioning the need to continue criticising Jagan after the YSRCP’s electoral defeat, RRR said there was little left to discuss politically after the former chief minister lost power.
“In fact, I have been warning Jagan that if he fails to attend the Assembly regularly, he could lose his MLA position under Assembly rules,” he said.
RRR further said he continued to question the slow pace of investigation into the cases filed against him, alleging that the inquiry was moving at a “snail’s pace.”
Defending his conduct as Deputy Speaker, he said the constitutional position required him to respect all MLAs, including political opponents.
He said he had shown the same respect to Jagan in the Assembly and added that it was inappropriate for a person holding a constitutional post to constantly indulge in political attacks.
“There is no need for me to abuse Jagan just because someone expects it,” he remarked, responding directly to Mahasena Rajesh’s criticism.
Raghurama also defended his interactions with former YSRCP MP V Vijayasai Reddy, saying people should not object to personal conversations between political acquaintances.
Referring to the controversial social media posts made by Vijayasai Reddy in the past, he claimed that those tweets had been drafted by others and said he had already clarified the issue earlier.
He said responding to criticism with affection rather than hostility could make the other person realise their mistakes.
“Personal friendships are different from party politics,” he clarified.
The TDP MLA said that when he was in the YSRCP, almost everyone in the party, except one or two individuals, maintained friendly relations with him.
He questioned whether he should now start abusing all those people merely because political circumstances had changed.
He alleged that certain individuals were trying to create differences between him and Pawan Kalyan, but asserted that such attempts would fail.
He also said no one would be able to create a rift between him and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
