Pawan Kalyan Warns TDP: Support Must Be Mutual or I’ll Take Firm Call
The remark comes at a critical juncture
VIJAYAWADA: Amid discussions on coordination within the ruling coalition, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday said he was extending wholehearted and sincere support to the Telugu Desam (TD) and expected the same level of cooperation in return. “If I do not receive the cooperation I expect from the TD, I will take my decision firmly,” he said.
Kalyan made strong and emotional observations on caste politics, alliance compulsions and regional identity in Andhra Pradesh, while addressing the Jana Sena Udyami Athmeeya Samavesam” in Mangalagiri.
Highlighting regional sentiment, he said that the “Jai Andhra” slogan was more inclusive than “Jai Amaravati,” noting that Amaravati, the capital area, represented around 33,000 acres while Andhra symbolised the aspirations of nearly five crore people. “It hurts me when people say only ‘Jai Amaravati’. Say ‘Jai Andhra’,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister observed that caste continued to play a dominant role in the state’s political landscape. “There is no unity in Andhra except caste. I was born into a caste, but I did not enter politics for one community alone. I came to work for all sections of society,” he stated.
Defending the alliance with the TD and the the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kalyan said it was formed to protect the state’s future and to prevent the return of the YSRC to power.
Referring to his meeting with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in jail before the last elections, he said the decision was taken in the larger interests of the state despite challenges faced by Jana Sena cadre at the grassroots level.
Kalyan also urged party activists not to compare Andhra Pradesh politics with neighbouring states, in an apparent reference to actor-politician Vijay in Tamil Nadu. Reflecting on his earlier political experience, he recalled that contesting alone in 2019 resulted in defeats in both constituencies.
On a personal note, Kalyan revealed that he has been suffering from severe sinus and shoulder problems due to his hectic tours and fan pressure. He thanked Jana Sena workers and supporters for standing by him since the party’s launch in 2014 and said the party’s membership has crossed 21.5 lakh.
His remarks underlined both a reaffirmation of alliance commitment and a clear message on the need for mutual cooperation among partners in Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape.