Telugu Desam Party senior leader P Ashok Gajapati Raju has expressed his belief that the decision to exit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2018 was not a mistake, explaining that there were commitments in the AP Reorganisation Act that needed attention. Raju justified the regional party's return to the alliance, citing BJP's assurances to address concerns related to Andhra Pradesh's development.
P Ashok Gajapati Raju, a member of the Vizianagaram royal family, clarified that his decision to not contest in the ongoing polls was due to health reasons and not a retirement from politics. However, his daughter Aditi is contesting for the Vizianagaram Assembly seat, facing opposition from the present YSR Congress legislator Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy and former TDP MLA Meesala Geetha, who is contesting as an independent.
Raju criticized the current YSR Congress government for what he perceived as a lack of progress in various development projects, including the Bhogapuram Airport for Visakhapatnam. He highlighted the importance of preserving Telugu culture and heritage, noting that Vizianagaram, known as the cultural capital of Telugus, houses prestigious institutions such as music colleges and oriental language centers.