Pawan Kalyan is ‘Power Star’ for his fans. Not only for his fans, but for other political parties also. Earlier TDP believed that he has the leverage to bring them to power in AP, and hence, took his help during campaigning. Many agree and disagree over his role after TDP formed government in 2014. BJP is yet to reap electoral benefits since the tie-up has not been tested in elections yet. Saffron party believes that if Pawan is with them, one community with a sizeable population will rally behind them. This is the reason they did not bother about his dramatic description of BJP’s sops to the state as ‘stale laddus.’ Jana Sena is hitched to the BJP chariot at this point of time.
The Telangana scenario is different. TS BJP leaders insist that this alliance is confined only to Andhra Pradesh. After the two parties joined hands, Pawan has not been seen with TS BJP leaders nor has he visited their state party office. He is said to be completely focused on Andhra Pradesh. In the last one year, Pawan participated in at least 10 press conferences or other programmes jointly with AP BJP leaders, but has never done so with TS party functionaries. While he is not interested in mingling with Telangana BJP leaders, they too are said to be uninterested in the film actor.
Sanjay reluctant?
A section in the party says Bandi Sanjay is not a big fan of Pawan Kalyan. According to them, Sanjay who comes from RSS maintains distance from movie actors as he believes that no film personality, except NT Rama Rao, has the charisma or power to attract votes or to bring a party to power. His close associates say he has many examples in support of his belief. He cites failure of Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party and Jana Sena candidates losing deposits in the recent elections in this context. Similarly, Sanjay refers to many film actors who in the past failed miserably in politics despite their commanding position in filmdom. Because of this, it is said he is reluctant to rope in film actors into party’s activities.
KCR Bhai Bhai
In case of Pawan Kalyan, he has a sizeable number of fans in Telangana. They do believe in his ideology. In spite of this influence, his words and deeds are restrained on issues pertaining to Telangana. Sources say Pawan does not want to go at loggerheads with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekara Rao. KCR is known for his brash and derogatory remarks against his political rivals. His colloquial barbs against his opponents go viral instantly. Moreover, Pawan respects KCR as an uncontested leader of Telangana movement, which makes it difficult for him to make critical comments. So, Pawanism, on which AP BJP pinned a lot of hopes, will not have any role in Telangana.
