Jana Sena will contest in Telangana: Pawan
Hyderabad: Putting an end to speculation over his party's future in the state, Jana Sena Party chief and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday announced that Jana Sena would remain active in Telangana and would contest elections in the state.
Speaking at a media conference in Hyderabad on Tuesday, he said the party's commitment to Telangana was firm and that it would be the first to raise its voice if injustice was done to the state.
'Telangana is an integral part of the country. Jana Sena will be in Telangana and we will contest here,' Pawan Kalyan said
Pawan Kalyan said his stand on Telangana was not driven by political calculations. 'Whatever I do is not for votes. I have love and affection for Telangana,' he said. He cited the donations worth crores of rupees made to the Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy temple as an expression of his respect for the state.
Asserting that Jana Sena would not be cowed down by criticism, he added, 'Your threats do not scare Jana Sena. If I was someone who got scared, would I have launched a party?' He stated that Jana Sena would be the first to raise its voice if any injustice was done to Telangana.
Responding to questions Pawan Kalyan asked when he had ever insulted Telangana. 'Will I become Chief Minister here by doing something? Even if you slit my throat, I will not be afraid,' he said. He maintained that he did not believe in provoking people and would not be affected by personal abuses.
He said BRS was welcomed when it opened an office in Guntur and questioned why Jana Sena's presence in Telangana was being opposed now.
Taking a direct swipe at political parties in the state, Pawan Kalyan asked whether he was responsible for the lack of employment in Telangana. He recalled how the Telugu film industry had shifted from Madras to Hyderabad over the years. 'If you keep abusing Andhra people, how will they stay here? How long will you spend time targeting Andhra people? You cannot suddenly tell us not to come here,' he said. He also pointed out that contractors from Andhra Pradesh were executing works in Telangana without issues.
Pawan Kalyan said he had respect for Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. On allegations that he had encroached a lake, he asked, 'If I had done that, would they allow me to stay here?' He declared that if his farmhouse was found to be on encroached land, he would register it in the name of the state government.
The Jana Sena chief spoke at length about his bond with late balladeer Gaddar, saying he had known him long before entering politics. 'Gaddar used to visit our party office,' he recalled. He questioned the silence of political leaders when Gaddar was shot and bullets remained lodged in his body. 'Where were all of you when Gaddar was alive?' he asked,.
Pawan Kalyan said people who had once opposed the formation of Telangana were now in power and had become MLAs. He asserted that Jana Sena would continue to work in the state with commitment and would not back down under pressure.
The statement marks a clear push by Jana Sena to carve out political space in Telangana.
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