Published Jun 02, 2026 | 7:29 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 02, 2026 | 8:05 PM
Pawan Kalyan
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 JSP chief Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday, 2 June, addressed the media from his residence in Hyderabad on the occasion of Telangana state formation day.
Extending his greetings to the people of Telangana, Pawan Kalyan said, questioned why is he being stopped from entering the state. He also announced Janasena Party will be present and contest the upcoming elections in Telangana.
“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.
Later answering a question, Pawan Kalyan said, “Even recently, during the GHMC elections, after Jana Sena leaders had filed nominations, I withdrew my stand because of alliance considerations. But in 2029, Jana Sena will definitely contest elections.”
Further he questioned, “How can you say, ‘you cannot come here, we will crush you if you do,’ I ask them: 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.”
“To Congress leaders, I would also like to point out that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi can contest elections in southern India. Indira Gandhi contested from Medak. When P. V. Narasimha Rao faced political challenges in Telangana, he was elected from Nandyal. The people of Andhra Pradesh supported him. That is the spirit of India. We have always crossed regional boundaries and supported one another. That spirit should continue,” he added.
Further responding to criticism, he added, “Whenever some people question why Jana Sena speaks about Telangana, I want to make one thing clear. Jana Sena was established in Hyderabad, in the heart of Telangana. Our affection and commitment towards Telangana go beyond politics.”
Questioning the leaders who are criticizing him, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “I would like to remind them that many of them were nowhere to be seen in 2007. I travelled across Telangana, including its remotest corners. We hoisted the national tricolour across Greater Hyderabad’s corporations, we visited tribal hamlets in Adilabad and Naxal-affected regions when many of today’s critics never stepped outside their comfort zones. We worked among the people even when there was no certainty of electoral gains.”
Claiming that his love for Telangana is genuine, Pawan Kalyan said, “I do not need to prove it to anyone, nor do I owe explanations to those who question it.”
“Some people continue to claim that Jana Sena opposed the formation of Telangana. Let me clarify once again. 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.”
Speaking of expanding the party in Telangana, Pawan Kalyan said, “Many times our party leaders urged me to aggressively expand the party in Telangana. But I always told them that the future should be decided by the people. Take Jana Sena’s ideology to the people and let them decide. I seek power only as a means to bring change, whether in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana. Jana Sena’s journey began in 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.”
“The people of Telangana do not hate Andhra people. 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.
“Lately, some people have been asking how I dare set foot in Hyderabad and what business I have here. I want to ask them: who are they to threaten me? Is Telangana anyone’s personal estate? Some even threatened attacks against me. Frankly, I have faced more threats in Andhra Pradesh than in Telangana. In Telangana, some say they won’t allow me to enter.”
I genuinely want Telangana to prosper, Iwant its youth to receive better opportunities, I have no personal agenda here. I have received severe threats from YSRCP-linked groups, including threats to my life. Compared to those, I have never experienced such hostility from Telangana’s people.
Referring to Prof K Nageshwar’s issue, Pawan Kalyan noted, “It started when a political analyst, whom I personally respect, made comments regarding Union Home Minister Amit Shah. It was claimed that Amit Shah and I had discussed certain matters and that I had spoken falsely. I rejected those allegations. After that, cases were filed and the issue escalated. Even then, I told 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?”
“It has been twelve years since Telangana was formed. If jobs are unavailable or opportunities are lacking, can everything continue to be blamed on Andhra people or on Pawan Kalyan? If that logic is followed, why would Andhra people come here at all? 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 fifty years, Hyderabad served as a shared capital and cultural centre. Suddenly, some political leaders began saying that certain people do not belong here. I have always maintained that rulers and people are different. If any ruler has wronged Telangana, hold them accountable, even if that person is Pawan Kalyan himself. But do not spread hatred among ordinary people.”
Also Read: The world failed to reverse falling birth rates with cash. Andhra Pradesh still wants to try
Noting that, rulers and people are different, Pawan Kalyan said, “you criticize governments, that is one thing. But if you insult ordinary people and provoke regional hatred, where will this country go? There are Telugu people living in Surat. Tomorrow, if Gujaratis were to say that no Telugu person should be allowed to live there, would that be acceptable? In places like Nanded and other parts of Maharashtra, if local groups turned against Telugu-speaking people from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, what would happen? Would the country remain united?”
Speaking about the allegations about lake encroachment, he added, “Some even accuse us of encroaching upon a lake. I have no problem with an investigation. If I had really occupied a lake illegally, would I be living openly in my own house? Would the authorities allow that?”
“If I have done anything wrong, seize the property. I am repeating this once again. I have a goshala (cow shelter) there with around sixty to seventy cows. The land is used to grow fodder for them. If the government proves any wrongdoing, let it act. But attempts to intimidate us through false narratives will not work,” he added.
“Telangana was where I first faced police action and was made to sit in a police station because of my activism.
Now, some people threaten violence and say they will attack us if we come out in public. Do they think attacks are something new to us? In Mahabubnagar, political opponents even brought down our public meeting stage. We have faced such situations before and we are not intimidated by them.”
Recalling the time when KCR launched BRS in Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan said, “Let me remind them that when K. Chandrashekar Rao launched the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and expanded it into Andhra Pradesh, I welcomed that move wholeheartedly. Any political party has the right to work anywhere in India. When BRS opened an office in Guntur and even appointed a former Jana Sena leader as its president there, we welcomed it. If leaders from Telangana can work in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, or elsewhere, why should Jana Sena be told that it cannot operate in Telangana?”
He further questioned, “What exactly are we seeking here? Do people think I am trying to become Chief Minister of Telangana? I have enough challenges in Andhra Pradesh itself. The real fear among some people is that Jana Sena might create awareness among citizens. Telangana has nearly four crore people. Even if Jana Sena mobilizes, our active cadre numbers only a few thousand. If we are denied permission even for small gatherings, what are we supposed to do?”
Training the guns at Congress, Pawan Kalyan asked, “You present yourselves as leaders of a national party, yet some Congress leaders are behaving like separatists. At the same time, your party wants to expand into Andhra Pradesh and remain politically active there. What a contradiction. What hypocrisy. If this logic is accepted, should every Indian carry a passport to travel from one state to another? Is that the kind of country we want to become?”
He further demanded, “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.
“Ironically, many who once opposed Telangana today hold positions of power as MLAs and ministers. Yet for twelve years, we chose not to make an issue of it. Ask any Jana Sena leader whether I ever encouraged hostility against Telangana. I never did. In fact, many Telangana leaders who remain with Jana Sena today have been associated with us since the days of Yuva Rajyam. They stayed not because of political compulsion but because they believed in Jana Sena’s ideology,” he added.
Speaking of unemployment, Pawan Kalyan said, “Every year, around 4.5 to 6 lakh graduates emerge from Andhra Pradesh, while Telangana produces approximately 5 to 7 lakh graduates. Together, the two states generate between 10 and 13 lakh graduates annually. At the same time, the estimated unemployment rate in Andhra Pradesh stands at around 4.2%. The real issues before us are employment, opportunities, and the future of our youth. Instead of creating regional tensions, leaders should focus on solving those problems.”
“Should we be discussing unemployment and job opportunities, or should we keep discussing Pawan Kalyan? How long will you continue creating regional divisions? How long? Talk about your six guarantees, talk about your six schemes. Talk about Telangana’s development. Stand up for Telangana’s issues.”
He further questioned, why did the critics not question CPI(M), who opposed Telangana’s bifurcation. “Why don’t these critics speak about them? Many others opposed Telangana too. Yet they remain silent about them and choose to target Jana Sena, a party that never spoke against Telangana.”
“One Congress leader openly said in a debate, ‘I love Pakistan,’ yet the same people claim that a press conference by Pawan Kalyan threatens peace and harmony. How does that make sense? When someone says “I love Pakistan,” it is considered acceptable, but when I conduct a press conference, it suddenly becomes a law-and-order issue.”
“When terrorists killed innocent people in Pahalgam, why didn’t these so-called Congress leaders speak strongly against it? Why was there silence then? So according to them, it is acceptable to hate Andhra people, hate Jana Sena, but love Pakistan. What kind of politics is this? Once division starts taking root in people’s minds, where does it stop, and how far will it go?”
“This is not just about Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, or Pawan Kalyan. If someone like me can be intimidated for expressing an opinion, then ordinary citizens will become even more afraid. That is why I am speaking out.”
“When I entered politics, I did so prepared to sacrifice everything, including my life if necessary. Fear was never part of the equation. Even today, there are Telangana Congress leaders who privately admit that Telangana would not have been formed if Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy had remained alive. Yet we fought for Telangana because we respected the aspirations of its people,” he added.
Pawan 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 further warned that unchecked regionalism could extend beyond politics and affect national symbols. Emphasizing 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.
At the same time, Pawan Kalyan stressed that he respected regional aspirations and acknowledged concerns over employment opportunities for local youth. He said his objective in Andhra Pradesh has always been to create jobs within the state so that young people are not forced to migrate elsewhere, while adding that Telangana’s youth should likewise have access to employment opportunities within Telangana.
Recognizing competition for limited jobs, he said it was natural for people to want local candidates to benefit from available opportunities. However, he argued that threats and intimidation were not the solution to such concerns.
Calling for an end to what he described as attempts to intimidate political opponents, Pawan Kalyan said he and his party would continue to engage with people across Telangana if invited by local citizens and party leaders. He asserted that they would not be deterred from carrying out political activities in the state.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sumit Jha)
