Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has reportedly asked the cadre of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to lay low, and not react to comments by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan.
According to reports, Naidu himself gave the directions, so that it would not create a negative impression that the TDP and Jana Sena Party were falling apart.
Quoting sources, other reports add that recent statements by senior TDP leaders on various issues have irked the Chief Minister, who always tells people in power not to make controversial statements.
In recent times, two TDP MPs have also called for the 'execution' and 'thrashing' of writer Kancha Ilaiah respectively.
Pawan Kalyan had campaigned for the TDP-BJP combine during the 2014 general elections, but has since begun criticising both the parties.
This also comes in the backdrop of Kalyan, targeting Union minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and state Minister Pithani Satyanarayana earlier this week.
He was reacting to comments by the TDP leaders, who had said that they don’t know who Pawan Kalyan was.
However, after fans of the actor-politician began lashing out at TDP leaders on social media, Pawan Kalyan took to Twitter and made a plea.
“We are building the party slowly with calculated steps. Few people, either for fame or to divert our attention or to annoy us, will try to sabotage our effort in different ways. I plead you to not respond to such things. Even if someone makes personal remarks against me or defames me, let us behave respectfully," he said.
"I firmly believe in a politics that is beyond caste, region and religion, and established Jana Sena Party for the same reason. The party is being built with humanity as its religion. At this juncture, don’t get angered by the negative criticism. Your anger will harm the party’s prospects. The party is keeping track of all the negative criticism. When they cross the limit, the party will respond,” he added.