Jana Sena Party president and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday refuted the allegations made by former MLC and political analyst Prof. K Nageshwar that he had asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to get YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy arrested.
Addressing a party meeting at Rajamahendravaram, the Jana Sena chief said he had met Amit Shah a few days ago only to discuss issues related to the development of Andhra Pradesh.
Rejecting speculation that he had urged Shah to get the YSRCP chief jailed in a corruption case, Pawan Kalyan wondered what benefit his party would get from Jagan’s arrest.
“Will Jana Sena grow just because another leader goes to jail?” he asked.
The Jana Sena chief questioned how outsiders could know the details of his private conversations with the Union Home Minister.
He also asked why leaders of the Andhra Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party had not responded to the allegations made by Prof. Nageshwar on social media.
Pawan said making baseless allegations about such meetings amounted to insulting democratic institutions.
Emphasising his political resolve, he said he had entered politics prepared to face all consequences and would confront strong adversaries rather than target weaker opponents.
In a stern warning to critics, the Deputy Chief Minister said Jana Sena leaders and supporters also feel anger and pain, and cautioned rivals not to mistake their restraint for weakness.
“There is a limit to everything. We tolerate and endure, but if necessary, we will retaliate,” he warned.
Pawan Kalyan observed that politics in Tamil Nadu had progressed in a much smoother manner compared to Andhra Pradesh.
He remarked that the political environment there appeared so streamlined that it even evoked a sense of envy.
Responding to criticism that he frequently speaks about caste issues, Pawan questioned whether he had ever projected himself as a caste leader.
He asked why similar scrutiny was not directed at leaders of other parties who also discuss caste equations in politics.
He cautioned that attempts to provoke caste divisions were harmful to society and urged political actors to avoid encouraging such tendencies.
Pawan Kalyan also expressed dissatisfaction with some leaders within Jana Sena, saying several had become complacent after securing positions and posts. He declared that such leaders were not needed in the party.
“Do not use me for your personal growth,” he told party members, adding that enemies were not only outside the party but also within it.
He made it clear that only those capable of sincerely working for Jana Sena should continue in the organisation.
The Jana Sena chief further clarified that his political adjustments and compromises were not being made for the benefit of the Telugu Desam Party, but in the interests of the state.
He warned that Jana Sena would henceforth adopt a tougher stance and respond strongly to personal attacks.
