New Delhi: In a setback for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Andhra Pradesh, one of its four MLAs has resigned from his Assembly membership and the party on Sunday. Akula Satyanarayana who was the MLA from Rajamahendravaram (Urban) constituency has announced his resignation today. Satyanarayana issued a statement to the media announcing his resignation, but did not specify any reasons for his action. He would join the Jana Sena Party of actor Pawan Kalyan on Monday, he added.

He said he has sent his resignation letter to state party president Kanna Lakshmi Narayana stating that he was quitting the party as well. Satyanarayana was quoted by ANI as saying, "will also be giving my resignation letter from MLA membership to state Assembly speaker on Monday.I'll join Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party."



Who is Akula Satyanarayana?

Satyanarayana was one of the four MLAs to have been elected on behalf of the BJP, which fought the 2014 election in alliance with the TDP. He had been staying away from party affairs for some time now, reportedly disgruntled that the BJP did not honour its promises made to the State post-bifurcation. Sources close to him said, Satyanarayana would speak out after formally joining the Jana Sena.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife in political circles that another BJP MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju from Visakhapatnam North was also ready to leave the BJP. While he is non-committal on which party he may join upon quitting the BJP, Raju has reportedly been telling his close friends that he will contest the upcoming Assembly election again from Visakhapatnam North constituency.

(With inputs from PTI)