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Jayadev Galla, the businessman-turned politician and CMD of Amara Raja Mobility and Energy has decided to hang up his boots in politics end giving a break to the long association of the Galla family with politics.
Jayadev, currently the incumbent Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Member of Parliament from Guntur Lok Sabha constituency and a senior leader of TDP announced that he will not be contesting the upcoming 2024 general elections.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my decision to not contest in the upcoming 2024 general elections. I will be taking a break from politics to focus on diversifying the business which is at a crucial stage of leading the world in the transition to a more sustainable future. Amara Raja is moving from being a battery manufacturer to a comprehensive provider of Energy & Mobility solutions,’‘ Galla said.
“As part of this we are investing about ₹9,500 crore for the Amara Raja Giga Corridor, which will have one of the largest manufacturing facilities of lithium-ion batteries and also state-of-the-art R&D center for the research in Advanced Chemistry Cells. This move by Amara Raja will be a crucial enabler for the country’s transition towards clean and sustainable energy.,’‘ he added.
BUSINESS & POLITICS
The decision of Amara Raja to set up Amara Raja Giga Corridor in Hyderabad in December 2022, kicked off a political row with the allegations of flight of capital from Andhra Pradesh due to the policies of the State Government.
Galla’s decision to quit politics now re-kindled the debate among the political and business circles in the two Telugu States with some citing `harassment’ from the current YSRCP Government as the reason behind his decision.
“If businessmen should be included in the political process, which is essential in my opinion, they need to have the freedom to express themselves and to take stands against the government of the day, without fear of reprisals and attacks on their business,’‘ Galla said indirectly referring to the alleged harassment from the present State government.
“In the developed world, business people are encouraged to be part of the political administration as they can play an important part in helping people take charge of their economic destinies. Unfortunately, in our context, this means constant fear of reprisals and vendettas. How do you ensure law-abiding businesses are not exposed to harassment even if they don’t share the same political views?’‘ Galla said.
Galla is the grandson of freedom fighter, parliamentarian and social reformer Paturi Rajagopal Naidu. His mother is a four-time MLA and Minister, Aruna Kumari Galla and his father, Ramachandra Naidu Galla is the Founder of the Amara Raja Group of companies.
He entered politics Galla entered politics at the age of 48, after leading the business conglomerate for almost 25 years in 2014.
Galla has been a member of various parliamentary committees over the past 10 years including the Parliamentary Standing Committees on Commerce, External Affairs, Defence, and Information Technology.
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