Jana Sena Party (JSP) president and Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday, June 2, made a dramatic announcement that his party will contest in the 2028 Telangana Assembly elections. The JSP chief made this political announcement after holding an emergency press conference in Hyderabad in response to the Telangana government denying his party the permission to conduct the ‘Janasena Sadhaks’ meeting scheduled on June 2.
“This is India; no one can prevent others from exercising their rights. Telangana is an integral part of India. I had not considered this, but since our leaders have asked us to strengthen the party, we will work towards it,” Pawan Kalyan said. The Deputy CM said he will tour the state, speak on all issues and fight injustices. “Telangana is part of India, don’t forget it.”
Pawan Kalyan said that regardless of his alliance with the BJP and TDP, his party will contest independently. “I can't comment on TDP; that is their prerogative. But Telangana BJP chief Ramchander Rao has stated that the BJP will contest alone in the GHMC elections and that Jana Sena will not be part of the alliance. I am also willing to give my leaders the freedom to contest on their own. In previous GHMC elections, I withdrew our candidates, but now I will tour Telangana as I did in the past; my party workers and the people here want me to do this,” he said.
A day earlier, the Cyberabad police had denied permission to JSP to conduct their event, which was anticipated to be attended by nearly 2,000 members, citing law and order concerns following the recent controversy between the JSP and Prof Nageshwar Rao. JSP members had filed cases against the political analyst for his claims that Pawan Kalyan had approached Amit Shah seeking the arrest of former Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. The issue took a separatist tone after the JSP members raised questions about why a person from Telangana is interested in Andhra’s politics. In view of this, the police said that their enquiry revealed: “...the recent alleged remarks by Prof. K. Nageshwar on the meeting of Hon'ble Dy. CM of AP with the Hon'ble Union Home Minister and subsequent registration of criminal cases against Prof. K. Nageshwar in Andhra Pradesh led to escalating tensions and animosities generated across Telangana.”
“Furthermore, recent public utterances made by certain political leaders from Andhra Pradesh, including Jana Sena, with respect to the matter involving Prof Nageshwar, have deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Telangana, triggering widespread backlash, counter-protests, and strong opposition from various student bodies and activist groups in the state.”
