Published Jun 02, 2026 | 7:29 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 02, 2026 | 10:48 PM
Pawan Kalyan seen addressing the media.
Synopsis: “If people continue questioning my affection and commitment to Telangana, then let me say this clearly: Jana Sena will remain in Telangana. We will contest elections here. We will travel across Telangana whenever necessary. I myself will come here. We will raise our voice on every public issue and every injustice. Telangana is an integral part of India, and therefore, it is also a part of my country. Nobody can threaten me and say I cannot enter it,” the Jana Sena leader claimed.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday, 2 June, categorically stated that his party will contest the upcoming elections in Telangana.
Addressing the media at his residence in Hyderabad, the actor-politician said his party will interfere in all public issues.
Greeting the people of Telangana on the Formation Day, Kalyan questioned why he was stopped from entering the state.
“If people continue questioning my affection and commitment to Telangana, then let me say this clearly: Jana Sena will remain in Telangana. We will contest elections here. We will raise our voice on every public issue and every injustice. Telangana is an integral part of India, and therefore it is also a part of my country,” he said.
Kalyan added that a citizen could travel anywhere in a democratic country. In an apparent bid to drive home his point, he mentioned Indira Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi contesting the polls outside their home states.
He categorically stated that no one could prevent him from visiting Telangana. “Is this India or Pakistan? Is this a democracy governed by the Constitution or not? This is my country. I have the constitutional right to travel and work anywhere in India.”
Responding to a query, Kalyan said alliance consideration forced him to withdraw JSP candidates from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation council elections. He asserted that the party would contest the 2029 elections.
He further underlined JSP’s commitment towards Telangana. “Jana Sena was established in Hyderabad, in the heart of Telangana. Our affection and commitment towards Telangana go beyond politics,” he said.
Kalyan said the JSP was never against the formation of Telangana.
“We opposed the manner in which the bifurcation was carried out, not the creation of Telangana itself. We believed in a socially just Telangana where all communities prosper. We objected to the way Parliament handled the division behind closed doors. Jana Sena has never opposed Telangana’s culture, identity, or statehood,” he stated.
The actor-politician further claimed that he had worked for the welfare of the state—even when his critics were not to be seen—without harbouring any political motives.
“I have enough challenges in Andhra Pradesh. The real fear among some people is that Jana Sena might create awareness among the citizens,” he said, and recalled that he had not opposed K Chandrashekar Rao when he expanded the BRS into Andhra Pradesh.
Claiming that his love for Telangana is genuine, Kalyan said, “I do not need to prove it to anyone, nor do I owe explanations to those who question it.”
Kalyan said he delayed the expansion of JSP into Telangana since he felt that the people should decide the party’s future.
The Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister stated that he had asked JSP leaders to take the party’s ideology to the people.
“I seek power only as a means to bring change, whether in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana. I have always instructed our leaders to fight for people’s issues. What troubles me today is the repeated attempt to portray every discussion as an Andhra versus Telangana issue.”
He said the people of Telangana do not hate those in Andhra Pradesh. “Telangana’s leaders sought a separate state, but they never promoted hatred against Andhra citizens. Had Telangana’s people truly harboured such hatred, not a single Andhra-origin person would have been able to live here. The warmth and generosity shown by Telangana’s people are well known,” he added.
Terming that Telangana is not anyone’s personal estate, he said some people have been opposing his entry into the state, and even threatened to physically harm him.
He alleged that the threats were issued by YSRCP-linked groups.
“I have faced more threats in Andhra Pradesh than in Telangana. I want Telangana to prosper, I want its youth to receive better opportunities,” he said, while ruling out any personal agenda.
Referring to the row involving political analyst Prof. K. Nageshwar, Kalyan said he had asked people to let the matter go. “But when regional hatred continues to be stirred up through press conferences and public forums, how long can such politics continue?”
Kalyan said neither Andhra Pradesh nor he could be blamed for the issues dogging Telangana. He outlined the facilities that both Telugu states have been sharing.
“Why did the Telugu film industry move from Madras to Hyderabad? It was Telangana leaders themselves, including leaders such as Marri Chenna Reddy, who encouraged and facilitated that shift. For 50 years, Hyderabad served as a shared capital and cultural centre,” he said.
Reiterating that the people of Andhra Pradesh could not be held responsible for the issues in Telangana, he said the rulers and people are different.
“If any ruler has wronged Telangana, hold them accountable, even if that person is Pawan Kalyan. But do not spread hatred among ordinary people,” he exhorted.
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Condemning regional chauvinism, he said the country would not remain united if people turn against each other based on their state of domicile.
Kalyan denied allegations of encroaching on the Kodicheruvu Lake and challenged the Telangana government to act against him if he had done any wrong.
“If I have done anything wrong, seize the property. I am repeating this once again. I have a goshala (cow shelter) there with around 60 to 70 cows. The land is used to grow fodder. If the government proves any wrongdoing, let it act. But attempts to intimidate us through false narratives will not work,” he added.
Kalyan termed the Congress party hypocritical, saying it did not want JSP in Telangana, but has been keen on expanding its footprint in Andhra Pradesh.
The actor-politician further dared the political parties opposed to JSP’s Telangana foray. “If you truly believe I should not enter Telangana, pass a resolution in the Telangana Assembly declaring that Pawan Kalyan is not allowed to enter the state. Let me see how such a resolution would stand,” he challenged.
Sharing statistics of youngsters graduating from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Kalyan said the real issues were unemployment, opportunities, and the future of the youth. He urged political leaders to focus on solving those problems.
Kalyan urged the Central Government to take note of what he described as growing divisive tendencies based on regional identity, warning that such rhetoric could threaten national unity if left unchecked.
“Today it may be ‘Hindi Go Back’ in Tamil Nadu, tomorrow it may be ‘Marwaris Go Back’ in Hyderabad, or ‘North Indians Go Back’ elsewhere. Some may even start saying Hindi has no place in Telangana. Where do such ideas lead? They lead to the fragmentation of the nation. Is India not one country? This is exactly what Amit Shah had warned about,” he said.
He further warned that unchecked regionalism could extend beyond politics and affect national symbols. Emphasising the importance of unity, he said Indians have never viewed Jana Gana Mana merely as a Bengali composition or Vande Mataram as belonging to a particular region, but rather as symbols of the nation’s shared heritage.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sumit Jha)
