Former Cricketer Ambati Rayudu Meets Pawan Kalyan, Hints At Joining Jana Sena

Days after quitting the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu met actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday.

Rayudu met the Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader at the party office at Mangalagiri in Guntur district. Thus triggering speculations that he was planning to join Kalyan's party. The meeting lasted for more than an hour, as per a report in the IANS.

In a statement, the former cricket, on meeting Kalyan, said,I have come into politics to serve the people of Andhra Pradesh with pure intentions and heart. I have joined YSRCP and I believe I could fulfil my vision. I have been on the ground and have visited many villages and met many people and understood their problems and I have done my best to solve them personally and I have done a lot of social work. Due to some reasons and I have not seen myself fulfilling my dream going forward with YSRCP. No blames. My ideology and YSRCP's ideologies have not aligned and it has definitely nothing to do with contesting elections and x and y seat."

He has subtly indicated his inclination to join the Jana Sena Party, citing shared ideologies that resonate with Pawan Kalyan's vision.

"I have decided to move on from politics. My well-wishers and close friends and family have asked me to meet Pavan anna once before making that decision to understand his ideologies. I have met Pavan anna and spent a lot of time discussing life and politics and understanding him. I am very happy to say his ideology and vision is very similar to mine and I am very glad to have met him. I will be taking off to Dubai for my cricket commitments. I will always be there and stand for the people of Andhra Pradesh," he added.

Rayudu had joined the YSRCP on December 28. "In the presence of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, Ambati Tirupati Rayudu joined YSRCP at the CM's camp office," YSRCP said on social media platform X. On Sunday, the former cricketer announced in a post on X that he was required to be politically non-affiliated to participate in the International League Twenty20 (ILT20) cricket tournament.

The event begins in Dubai on January 19.

In April, last year, the stylish middle-order batsman made the decision to foray into politics, expressing his desire to serve the people. Speculation within political circles suggested that the cricketer might participate in the upcoming Andhra Pradesh Assembly or Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April-May.

Pawan Kalyan has already announced that his party will have an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the elections.

Having represented India in 55 ODIs from 2014 to 2019 and playing six international T20 matches, Ambati Rayudu scored 1,694 runs, including three centuries and 10 fifties. Following Chennai Super Kings' victory in the 2023 tournament, Rayudu announced his retirement from the IPL in May.