Retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao served as State Intelligence Chief during the TDP regime from 2014 to 2019. He was seen as close to the TDP leadership during that period.
After YS Jagan Mohan Reddy came to power, Rao faced harassment on corruption charges. He was suspended in February 2020. After a long legal battle in CAT, the High Court, and the Supreme Court, he was reinstated on May 31, 2024, the day he retired.
Rao entered active politics in 2025 and has been openly critical of the Jagan government since then. He gave multiple interviews, held press meets, and remained active on platforms like YouTube and X.
Under the current Telugu Desam Party government led by Chandrababu Naidu, his suspension period was treated as duty in January 2025. Disciplinary proceedings were dropped in December 2024, and he was appointed Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Police Housing Corporation.
Despite these decisions, Rao appears unhappy with the TDP leadership. He has now announced plans to launch a new political party, stating he is working with like-minded individuals and arranging financial resources to do so soon.
While his integrity as an officer is respected, politics works differently. Voters often choose established political players over ideal individuals, regardless of reputation or service record.
Past examples highlight this reality. Jaya Prakash Narayana formed his own party but won only once in 2014 before fading from active politics. Today, Lok Satta has no seat where it can even retain its deposit.
Former CBI Joint Director Lakshminarayana also failed to achieve electoral success despite public goodwill. Both officers enjoyed more popularity than AB Venkateswara Rao but could not make an impact in politics.
Given this backdrop, joining an existing political party may offer a more practical path for AB Venkateswara Rao than launching a new one.
