On Thursday, former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu officially joined the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) in a ceremony held at the Chief Minister's office in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The induction took place in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, along with Deputy CM Narayana Swamy and MP Peddireddy Mithun Reddy, who extended a warm welcome to the ex-cricketer.
A video capturing the event was shared on the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of YSRCP, with a tweet that read, "Famous Indian cricketer Ambati Tirupati Rayudu joined the YSR Congress Party in the presence of Chief Minister Shri YS Jagan at the CM Camp office. Deputy CM Narayana Swamy and MP Peddireddy Mithun Reddy participated in this program."
Ambati Rayudu, known for his stint in international and domestic cricket, retired from all formats of the game after the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Despite representing Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad in domestic cricket, he faced disappointment when left out of the 2019 World Cup squad, prompting his retirement from international cricket.
Following his cricket retirement, Rayudu expressed his intention to enter Andhra Pradesh politics, emphasizing his dedication to serving the people. Addressing reporters during a visit to Mutluru village in June, he announced his plan to engage with the public, gaining insights into their concerns before venturing into politics.
Speculation arose that Ambati Rayudu might contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from either Guntur or Machilipatnam parliamentary constituency in Andhra Pradesh. However, he refuted these claims, asserting that no such decision had been made.
