The big question is, who will benefit from his presence, TDP or YSR Congress?
Hyderabad: Telugu super star and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan has emerged as the X factor in Andhra Pradesh elections for both Assembly and Lok Sabha to be held in the first phase on 11 April. He was touted as the next Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh till a couple of years ago, but now the actor-turned-politician is being watched for who would benefit from his presence— Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP or Jagan’s YSR Congress.
As both TDP and YSR Congress are locked in fiercely fought contests and are evenly poised to get around 42% votes each, the vote share to be secured by Pawan Kalyan will be the deciding factor. Now the question is whether he will split TDP votes and help Jagan or corner YSR Congress votes and benefit Naidu. Initial pre-poll surveys project around 16% votes to Pawan across Andhra.
Pawan Kalyan, 48, campaigned for BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP in 2014 elections, but quickly distanced himself from them and formed his own political party, Jana Sena in 2016. He wanted to go it alone, but now has stitched up an alliance with Mayawati’s BSP, though the exact number of seats contested by them will be known after the withdrawal of nominations by 28 March.
Pawan Kalyan, popularly known as “Power Star” in the southern film industry, is drawing huge crowds, mostly youth and first-time voters and women in his public meetings. Belonging to the numerically strong Kapu caste, he has become a rallying point for this community, which is strong in East and West Godavari districts and is spread across the state through different sub-castes.
Kalyan is now contesting from two Assembly seats—Gajuwaka on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam and Bheemavaram in his native West Godavari district. The two Godavari districts with a predominant Kapu community sent a majority of 16 MLAs won by Pawan’s elder brother and Mega Star Chiranjeevi in 2009, in the combined AP. Chiranjeevi later merged his party with Congress in 2010.
Kalyan, who talks of alternative and value-based politics and caste-less society, is now attacking both CM Naidu and YSR Congress’ Jagan Mohan Reddy, for their “dynastic politics”. “Why should they only fight for political power in Andhra? Why cannot the son of a police constable (himself) become the CM of this state?” Pawan asked at his rallies, evoking a loud response and vigils from the crowds.
Clad in “dhoti” and cotton “kurtas” and sporting a long beard, Pawan often quotes from Che Guevara and Dr B.R. Ambedkar, and claims to be a “casteless man”. “My caste is humanity and my identity is Indian,” he tells his public. Thrice married, Pawan Kalyan is now living with his wife, Anna Lezhneva, of Russian origin, since 2013.
Till a few weeks before the announcement of the elections, Pawan appeared to be not keen on giving a serious fight, but suddenly he became active and has roped in several serious candidates for both Lok Sabha and Assembly. The entry of former CBI joint director V.V. Lakshminarayana into Jana Sena and his contest from Visakhapatnam LS seat has electrified the poll scene.
Pawan Kalyan also surprised all by fielding his second elder brother, Naga Babu, from the Bheemavaram LS seat, which also covers his Bheemavaram Assembly segment. As Bheemavaram has a 20% presence of Kapus, the contest turned serious as both Kalyan and his brother Naga Babu have emerged as front runners, giving a tough fight to TDP and YSR Congress.
Kalyan’s 12-point election manifesto promises a direct cash transfer of around Rs 3,000 per month to poor women, free gas cylinders, 33% reservation to women, reservations to Kapus and securing them Constitutional protection and implementation of the Sachar Committee report for Muslims and welfare of economically backwards and classification of SCs to do justice to the neglected Madiga sub-caste.
At a massive rally at Ungutur in West Godavari district on Friday evening, Pawan Kalyan declared: “We are going to form the next government in Andhra. No matter what Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and Jagan’s YSR Congress may claim, people are for change and we are coming to power.”
But his ability to cross the double digits in the 175-member Assembly is in question.
TDP leaders say that Pawan Kalyan would split the anti-establishment vote, so he cannot be a threat to them. TDP MLC Buddha Venkanna told this newspaper that Pawan Kalyan’s attacks on Chandrababu Naidu on corruption charges would only divide Jagan’s votes. “If people see Kalyan as an alternative to our CM (Naidu), then it is a loss to Jagan,” said the TDP leader.
However, Jagan sees it differently. In an interview to a Telugu news channel recently, the YSR Congress president said that as Pawan had earlier campaigned for Naidu, any vote that goes to him would only cut the vote bank of TDP. “Naidu and Pawan were on one side in 2014, now they have parted ways, you can guess who will benefit out of it,” Jagan said.