Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president Chandrababu Naidu came out in strong support of Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan amid criticism from Telangana leaders over his plans to expand the party’s activities in the neighbouring state.
Responding to the controversy on Wednesday, Naidu said democratic politics allows leaders to campaign and engage with people across state boundaries and questioned why Pawan Kalyan’s outreach in Telangana was being criticised.
Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday had announced that his party would actively enter Telangana politics and contest upcoming elections, including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls and the next Assembly elections.
“I mean, this is not correct either. Can’t I go to Tamil Nadu and campaign? Tamil Nadu’s Shivakumar also came. All India leaders and everyone came,” Naidu said, referring to election campaigns involving leaders from different states.
The Chief Minister also recalled that the BRS had expanded its activities into Andhra Pradesh after projecting itself as a national party and said he did not understand the basis for the criticism being directed at Pawan Kalyan.
He further cautioned against attempts to revive regional sentiments more than a decade after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
“It has been 12 years now since the bifurcation. The two states have separated. Who has contributed how much is known to the people there,” he said.
Calling for constructive politics, Naidu stressed that competition among political parties should focus on development and public service rather than divisive rhetoric.
“Competition should be in public awareness, and we should provide better service to people. We should empower them,” he said, adding that creating unnecessary hatred and tensions was not a healthy democratic practice.
The remarks come after Pawan Kalyan announced that Jana Sena would intensify its activities in Telangana and raise its voice on public issues across the state.
Stating that party leaders in Telangana had repeatedly urged the leadership to expand operations in the state, he said Jana Sena would now take an active political role in Telangana.
“Jana Sena leaders in Telangana have repeatedly urged the party to expand here. I had always maintained that we would step in when the people of Telangana needed us. Looking at the current political atmosphere and attempts to weaken national unity, I firmly believe Jana Sena must have a strong presence in Telangana. From now on, Jana Sena will fight politically in Telangana,” he said.
The Jana Sena chief said he would personally lead the party’s activities in the state, travel extensively among the people and take up public issues. “We will speak on every issue and oppose every injustice. Telangana is an integral part of India,” he said.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao reacted strongly, stating that Telangana belongs to the people who fought and sacrificed for statehood and that its identity was built through years of struggle and sacrifice.
