Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan’s absence at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the CM’s phone calls to the minister going unanswered have set tongues wagging about a rift in the ruling alliance in the state. Kalyan’s Janasena Party (JSP) is a junior partner in the tripartite National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in AP.
On Tuesday, the deputy CM stayed away from a Naidu-led sector-wise review of departments at the state secretariat in Amaravati.
The JSP chief heads the panchayati raj and rural development and rural water supply portfolio, as well as forests and environment and science and technology portfolio, in the Telugu Desam Party-led Andhra Pradesh government.
At the review meeting, when it was the turn of his departments, Nadendla Manohar, a JSP senior leader and the state’s civil supplies minister, informed that Kalyan could not come to the meeting as he was suffering from back pain. Naidu reportedly said he had tried to talk to his deputy over the phone, but Pawan Kalyan was unavailable. While the JSP chief took a sick leave from the Naidu-chaired meeting, he landed in Kochi the next morning and embarked on a four-day marathon visit to several temples in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
This development came close on the heels of Naidu’s ministerial rankings, which had placed Pawan Kalyan behind Nara Lokesh, leading to discontent in ally JSP’s camp again.
Within a week, Naidu conducted the 11 February review, the second meeting in a row his deputy evaded. Earlier, Kalyan was absent from the 6 February cabinet meeting, where Naidu announced the ministerial rankings, based on file clearances.
At the time, the JSP supremo was running a fever, according to party leaders.
According to D.A.R. Subramanyam from the Navyandhra Intellectual Forum, which holds political discussions, “some rift, gap seems to have developed between the two leaders, manifesting in the form of such gestures”. Pawan Kalyan has been publicly critical of the functioning of the TDP-led government on law and order and crimes against women—even offering to take the home portfolio—and the Tirupati stampede that killed six devotees.
Pawan Kalyan’s often-scathing commentary, coming within six to seven months of the formation of the NDA government after the spectacular victory of the TDP-JSP-BJP combine, seemingly puts Naidu’s party in an awkward position.
“With all his political acumen, Naidu desists from such friction, but Kalyan seemingly is bothered by something and wants to send out a strong message,” Subrahmanyam said.
A TDP politburo member said the JSP chief’s continuing “confrontational approach makes evident his refusal to adjust to the ways, manners of coalition politics”.
Pawan Kalyan supported the previous TDP-BJP coalition after his fledgling party sat out the 2014 polls. However, he turned hostile mid-term, castigating both parties, particularly for the non-delivery of the special category status to the truncated AP.
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‘High-time Kalyan’s fans stop hero-worshipping’
Some saw the TDP leaders floating the “Lokesh for deputy CM” demand as a counter to the aspirational Pawan, according to Subrahmanyam. The demand might also be “to keep the impulsive ally in check for the government’s smooth run”.
“It is unclear so far. But, some trouble seems to be brewing. Kalyan evading Naidu and his calls seem to be deliberate messaging, laying grounds for a future showdown,” Subrahmanyam said.
“Who knows, this could be the BJP’s long-term expansion strategy while keeping Naidu on tenterhooks. Ideologically too, Pawan’s affinity nowadays is more with Modi’s party,” the political commentator said, referring to the JSP chief’s staunch Sanatani Hindu stand as professed at Tirupati, following the laddu ghee adulteration row.
After a three-year break-up and drubbing in the 2019 elections, Kalyan quickly rejoined the NDA camp, partnering again with the BJP in January 2020. The BJP-TDP patch-up ahead of the 2024 polls, according to leaders, was at Kalyan’s mediation and insistence.
The ruling side in Andhra Pradesh has 135 TDP MLAs, 21 JSP MLAs and 8 BJP MLAs. The TDP is well above the majority mark of 88 in the assembly, but Naidu is aware of the alliance partners’ immense vote contribution, especially of Kalyan, in the landslide victory over Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party.
Speaking to ThePrint on record, JSP and TDP leaders rebutted talks of a rift.
“There is no rift, no gap whatsoever between Naidu and Kalyan. The CM said he tried talking to his deputy to check in on him. It does not mean Kalyan declined the call or refused to talk. They will likely meet once Kalyan returns from his temple tour,” Nadendla, JSP minister and party’s political committee chairman, told ThePrint.
Nadendla said Kalyan’s back pain was chronic, originating from his movie stint when he used to do action stunts. A former Congress leader, Nadendla was the last speaker in the united Andhra Pradesh assembly.
As far as the rankings of ministers go, the opinion within the JSP is that the chart positioning Naidu at six, Lokesh at eight, and Kalyan at 10 should not have been made public.
Varla Ramaiah, a TDP senior and another politburo member, said Naidu and Pawan “have been and are very amicable and will continue to work with the same spirit the rest of the term, focussed on AP’s development.”
When the succession row erupted last month, Kalyan sought to put a lid on it, reiterating his resolve to focus on public service instead of political power. Pawan Kalyan, in an open letter, appealed to his party leaders to avoid unnecessary disputes. He advised JSP workers and leaders to focus on the larger mission of state development and public welfare.
One more TDP leader ThePrint spoke to said, “It is high time Kalyan’s fans and followers stop hero-worshipping, egging him on to become CM. He should first gain good experience in governance, and he is doing well on that front.” Adding, “Both Naidu and Kalyan have a great partnership, batting on a wonderful wicket. Yes, the conditions in politics can change at any time, but let us hope it remains favourable for the rest of the term.”
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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