The Hindu : Industrialist to play active role in Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Industrialist to play active role in Congress

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 21. The high profile entry of K. Vijay Rao into the Congress has triggered a keen debate in the party circles here. His family's Congress connections add to the spice.

Apart from his own credentials -- he is a professional management expert-turned-industrialist with long international exposure -- Mr. Vijay Rao has deep political roots traceable to stalwarts of Krishna district like Ayyadevara Kaleswara Rao, the first Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly, his grandfather, and Komarraju Achamamba, former MP, a close relative. He is the son of eminent engineer-politician and Union Minister for Irrigation and Power in the Nehru Cabinet, Kanuri Lakshmana Rao.

Mr. Vijay Rao will begin his political innings by addressing the party meeting at Kankipadu in Krishna district on Sunday.

The meeting is being organised by Devineni Rajasekhar (Nehru) to mark the opening of his election campaign office and will be attended by the former Chief Minister, N. Janardhan Reddy, and the former MP, Renuka Chowdary, among others.

Interestingly, Mr. Rao is seeking the ticket for contesting the Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat at the behest of his friends and well-wishers. He has already established contact with several leading political and business personalities of the region.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Saturday, Mr. Vijay Rao, who is the president of Swami Sivananda Memorial Institute of Fine Arts and Crafts, which has been providing vocational training to the needy, said he was entering the politics only to serve the needy.

He is the promoter and vice-chairman of Epicenter Technologies, a Fortune 500 company, and one of the top 15 call centres in the country.

He was the MD of Escatel and AT and T for South Asia. He is hopeful that his experience will stand by him in the programmes he is planning to undertake for the benefit of people of the region.

The other aspirant, L. Rajagopal, a leading industrialist, is already in the race for the seat and has recently taken out a rally in the constituency. A section of leaders from the region whose feelings had been ruffled by him recently, is said to be evincing interest in promoting Mr. Vijay Rao, thus queering the pitch further for Mr. Rajagopal.

Mr. Rao met the PCC president, D. Srinivas, on Saturday along with a couple of former MLAs and is planning to meet the former CLP leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, next week before leaving for New Delhi.

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