Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan recently announced that his Jana Sena Party (JSP) would contest the 2028 Telangana assembly elections, triggering considerable political debate across the two Telugu-speaking states.At first glance, the actor-politician’s declaration appears to be a routine expression of electoral ambition. However, leaders in Telangana, particularly from the Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) have questioned both the timing and implications of his remarks.The ensuing war of words has brought to the surface unresolved political and emotional fault lines that continue to influence public discourse more than a decade after the creation of Telangana through the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.Beyond the rhetoric, the debate raises important political questions: Can the “Power Star” successfully establish a meaningful presence for the Jana Sena in Telangana? And in pursuing that goal, does he risk upsetting his ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)?
Pawan Kalyan: From ‘Power Star’ to deputy CM
Pawan Kalyan did not begin his political journey with Jana Sena. He entered politics in 2008 through the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), founded by his elder brother and fellow film star, Chiranjeevi. Following PRP’s merger with the Congress in 2011, Kalyan stepped away from active politics before launching JSP in March 2014.
Pawan Kalyan political journey
Kalyan formally allied with the BJP in January 2020. Yet, electoral success remained elusive until April 2024, when the alliance of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), JSP and the BJP swept to power in Andhra Pradesh. He was subsequently appointed deputy chief minister in the government headed by TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu. His Telangana declaration, therefore, comes at perhaps the strongest point of his political career, backed by electoral success and a role in government.
The announcement that triggered a controversy
On June 2, marking the 12th anniversary of Telangana’s formation, Kalyan formally announced Jana Sena’s re-entry into the state’s politics. He stated that JSP would contest the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections, expected later this year, as well as the Telangana assembly polls scheduled for late 2028.And then came the remark that sparked a political storm. Responding to critics who questioned his attempts to play an active role in Telangana politics, he asked whether Telangana was the “jagir” (fiefdom) of a select few.
Telangana is not your father’s inherited estate/property (jagir)
Pawan Klayan to his political critics
Telangana is indeed the jagir of the four crore people of the state
BRS working president KT Rama Rao
Facing mounting backlash, the 54-year-old leader later issued a clarification, insisting that his remarks had been misconstrued.By then, however, the controversy had gathered momentum, with political opponents seizing on the comment to question both his understanding of Telangana’s political sensitivities and his party’s ambitions in the state.
Declining BRS, Stagnant BJP: Opening for Pawan Kalyan and Jana Sena in Telangana?
According to Kalyan, the decision was driven by repeated appeals from JSP leaders and supporters in Telangana, who, he claimed, have repeatedly urged him to expand the party in the state.But beyond these internal demands, Telangana’s evolving political landscape presents a strategic opportunity for JSP. Political observers believe Kalyan may be seeking to occupy the political space created by BRS’ weakening and the BJP’s failure to establish itself as a dominant force.BRS, founded as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) by K Chandrashekar Rao—a key leader of the Telangana statehood movement and the state’s first chief minister—has weakened significantly since losing power in the November 2023 polls. Although not officially retired, Rao has largely stayed away from public life since the defeat. Adding to BRS’ troubles, his daughter K Kavitha recently broke away and launched her own outfit: the Telangana Rakshana Sena.The BJP, too, has struggled to capitalise on BRS’ decline. Signs of internal discord surfaced in December 2025, when Telangana BJP president N Ramachander Rao travelled to Delhi to meet the top leadership amid reports of factionalism within the state unit. The visit came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the BJP’s MPs and MLAs from Telangana.The BJP’s electoral performance has also failed to match its ambitions. In the Jubilee Hills bypoll held in November last year, it finished a distant third, securing just over 17,000 votes and less than 9% of the vote share. This marked a decline from the 2023 assembly election, when the party had again placed third but polled around 26,000 votes and nearly 14% of the vote share. The result reinforced perceptions that the BJP’s growth in Telangana has plateaued, potentially creating political space for alternative challengers such as JSP.
What Pawan Kalyan has going for him in Telangana
An electoral opening, on its own, does not guarantee success. However, the Jana Sena chief has several advantages, ranging from his popularity to an existing support network built over years of cultural and political engagement.For instance, unlike many politicians attempting to expand into a new state, Kalyan is no stranger to Telangana. Born in a unified Andhra Pradesh, he shares linguistic and cultural ties with people on both sides of the bifurcation.His years in public life — first as a film star and later as a politician — have helped him cultivate a support base that extends to Hyderabad and other urban centres of Telangana. More importantly, he comes not merely as a celebrity politician but as a serving deputy chief minister with administrative responsibilities and governance experience.The Andhra Pradesh deputy CM is also a prominent and outspoken advocate of Sanatan Dharma, often describing himself as an “unapologetic Sanatani Hindu.” A frequent visitor to the Tirumala Tirupati Temple, his strong emphasis on Sanatan Dharma could resonate with a significant segment of Telangana’s predominantly Hindu population, which constitutes about 85% of the state’s residents.Taken together, these factors give Kalyan a degree of visibility and familiarity that few aspiring political entrants can match. Whether that translates into electoral success remains to be seen, but it helps explain why Jana Sena may carve out a space for itself in Telangana’s evolving political landscape.
Challenges for Pawan Kalyan in Telangana
Yet, for all the advantages Kalyan enjoys, Telangana is unlikely to be an easy political terrain.As the controversy over his remarks demonstrates, Telangana’s politics remains deeply shaped by the legacy of the statehood movement. More than a decade after bifurcation, parties continue to draw upon its emotional and political resonance. Against this backdrop, his comments may complicate Jana Sena’s efforts to broaden its appeal in the state.
Telangana statehood movement
An equally important factor is its limited organisational footprint in Telangana. Despite enjoying both a degree of visibility and support, JSP has yet to translate that into meaningful electoral success in the state.The party would also have to contend with a well-entrenched Congress while competing with the BRS, BJP, and AIMIM for political space in an already crowded electoral landscape. JSP’s Telangana push could also test its ties with the BJP. Kalyan enjoys a close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the BJP has long viewed Telangana as a key expansion state. It may, therefore, be reluctant to see an ally compete for the same political space.Another challenge is JSP’s dependence on Kalyan as its only major face. In Andhra Pradesh, he has responsibilities as deputy chief minister and remains active as an actor. With his time divided between governance, politics and films, it may be difficult for him to devote sustained attention to building the party in Telangana.
The road ahead for Pawan Kalyan
As a deputy chief minister, the leader of a key regional outfit, and an ally of the country’s ruling party, Pawan Kalyan occupies a prominent position in Indian politics. A successful expansion into a second state would transform Jana Sena from an Andhra Pradesh-centric outfit into a genuine cross-border regional force.The immediate challenge for JSP in Telangana will be the Hyderabad civic body polls. A strong performance would provide an early indication of the party’s prospects in the state and serve as a springboard for larger electoral battles ahead. Conversely, a poor showing could force Jana Sena back to the drawing board in Telangana.For now, Telangana offers Jana Sena both an opportunity and a test—one that could determine whether the party remains confined to Andhra Pradesh or emerges as a force across both the Telugu-speaking states.
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