Lagadapati Rajagopal

On 13 February 2014, during a discussion of the Telangana Bill, L Rajagopal used pepper spray while on the floor which caused all the members of Parliament to vacate the building. He stated this was in “self-defence…I used the spray when I saw a colleague from a different party being manhandled”. He was suspended from Parliament by speaker Meira Kumar, along with 4 other MPs. Sharad Yadav, Janata Dal (United)’s President, called the actions “sedition”. Protests against his actions included burning Rajagopal in effigy, and a boycott by lawyers in Warangal district.

He tendered his resignation from Parliament in February 2014.

In 2004, he ran for office in the Vijayawada district, the seat previously held by Father-in-law Upendra, and became a member of Parliament. He has been a prominent anti-Telangana voice. His company’s headquarters have been moved to Delhi because the Hyderabad offices were deemed to be targets because of his anti-Telangana positions.

Lagadapati Rajagopal (born 1964) is an industrialist and former politician. He was the 15th Lok Sabha MP from the Vijaywada constituency for Indian National Congress. He resigned from Parliament and quit politics after the Telangana Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha. Rajagopal is the principal shareholder of Lanco Infratech.