Vijayawada: About 18 months ahead of the elections, actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan announced that he intended to enter full-time politics.
Speaking with students and contract employees here, Mr Kalyan said, “I had supported Mr Chandrababu Naidu as I thought he understood the people’s problems. They had made a mistake in the cash-for-vote case, but I didn’t disturb the government because they wanted to do good for society.”
He also put on record his disappointment with the YSRC. “Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRC is not acting as an Opposition party. When the government forgets the problems of the people, the Opposition fights to get those problems resolved.”
Mr Kalyan announced that he had renounced his acting career. “We are going to construct the party office building to serve the people in the state,” said Mr Kalyan.
He was speaking with students of the Fatima Institute of Medical Sciences (FIMS) at Kadapa, electrical contract workers, employees’ unions with their demand for the cancellation of contributory pension scheme, dismissed contract employees from the AP Space Centre, contract staff from universities and JAC leaders. Mr Kalyan said the FIMS students had got the seats with their hard work and not by paying money. “Why should the students be punished for mistakes they have not committed? If the government fails to resolve the FIMS students’ problems, it will reflect badly.”
“The students are serious about dealing with the corruption in the state and the Centre. If this continues it may snowball and lead to huge unrest. The government should understand the agitation of the contract workers. Listen to the contract lecturers’ problems, solve them before I disturb you. Local talent must be utilised for the vacant posts.”
He added, “Political accountability is needed after the bifurcation. If there is no accountability the State’s affairs will become clumsy. There’s no need to build up the place and certainly no need for the costliest capital, unless the people are happy.”
Mr. Kalyan, who remained standing throughout the meeting, also stated that the state government and the Opposition should fight for special status. He said that the Centre had failed to give the state special status as promised.
