Who is Jayadev Galla, the Andhra politician with an American accent?
Politics

Who is Jayadev Galla, the Andhra politician with an American accent?

Galla, who initiated the no-confidence motion against Modi govt, is a battery baron and Telugu actor Mahesh Babu's brother-in-law.

   
Parliament

TDP MP Jayadev Galla speaks in the Lok Sabha on 'no-confidence motion' during the Monsoon Session of Parliament | PTI

Galla, who initiated the no-confidence motion against Modi govt, is a battery baron and Telugu actor Mahesh Babu’s brother-in-law.

New Delhi: TDP parliamentarian and industrialist Jayadev Galla — one of the most articulate MPs in the Lok Sabha — initiated the no-confidence motion against the Modi government in the Lower House Friday.

Galla, who is managing director of Amara Raja Batteries Ltd that produces Amaron batteries, created the initial spark by launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government. Speaking with an American accent, he claimed Andhra Pradesh had only seen empty promises since the Modi government came to power in 2014.

“Mr Prime Minister if you don’t keep your promises, the BJP will be destroyed in Andhra Pradesh. It is not a threat, it is a shraap (curse),” he said.

The TDP MP who quoted Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in his speech has a Tollywood connection as well. Popular south Indian actor Mahesh Babu is his brother-in-law.

Galla studied in Westmont High School and pursued his BA political science and economics from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the US.

A fan of pop culture, history, scuba diving and tennis, Galla is an avid traveller and a regular speaker at many international events. His CV says he is a sportsman as well and chairman of AP Olympic Association.

An entrepreneur at heart, Galla is a member of World Economic Forum and had won the Best CEO Award given by Business Today in 2015. He is also a recipient of CNBC-TV 18’s Indian Business Leadership Award.

He is a member of three parliamentary standing committees — on defence, private members’ bills as well as resolutions and consultative committee power ministry.

He is also one of the most punctual MPs in Lok Sabha with a 93 per cent attendance record. He has asked 432 questions so far in Parliament.

Galla stood his ground while delivering his speech, according to the brief given TDP president and Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Taking credit for the debate on the no-confidence motion, Naidu had told his MPs in the morning that the motion is a result of relentless agitation of TDP and an opportunity to “expose opportunistic politics”.

“Apart from exposing Centre’s discrimination against Andhra, this is a historical opportunity. We have taken away the role of prime opposition spot from Congress,” said one of the TDP MPs.