Veteran actor and former union minister U V Krishnam Raju on Friday quit Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP).
Raju, who had left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for PRP, is the second key leader to quit the party after its disastrous performance in the simultaneous polls to the Andhra Pradesh state assembly and the Lok Sabha.
Raju told a Telugu television channel that he quit the PRP as it had failed to reach out to the masses and use his services. He said he would not join any party. He had been keeping away from the party's activities ever since he lost the Rajahamundry Lok Sabha polls to U Arun Kumar of the Congress.
The PRP, floated by Chiranjeevi in August last year, could get only 18 seats in the 294-member state assembly and drew blank in elections to 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
In June, Chiranjeevi's friend and PRP founder member P Mitra quit the party due to "personal reasons".
Raju had joined the PRP in March this year. He had then said that he was planning to retire from politics but decided to join the PRP as he was impressed with Chiranjeevi's policies and commitment.
Raju, who represented Narsapur Lok Sabha seat in West Godavari district, was minister of state for external affairs in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 2000 to 2004. He, however, lost the 2004 elections from the same constituency.
{{/usCountry}}Raju, who represented Narsapur Lok Sabha seat in West Godavari district, was minister of state for external affairs in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 2000 to 2004. He, however, lost the 2004 elections from the same constituency.
{{/usCountry}}He began his film career in 1966 and has acted in over 180 films.