It is true that the Jana Sena Party, led by Pawan Kalyan, is in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Daggubati Purandeshwari.
All three parties are working together, complementing each other in governing Andhra Pradesh.
At the same time, each party maintains its own identity and political stance. While they adhere to coalition dharma and extend greetings to one another on important occasions, they are not expected to surrender their individual identities.
When the Jana Sena Party celebrated its foundation day on March 14, Naidu and his son, Nara Lokesh, extended their best wishes to Pawan Kalyan through social media.
The BJP also offered its greetings. These were gestures of courtesy, and at no point did they imply that they were part of Jana Sena.
However, a look at the series of tweets posted by Pawan Kalyan on X during the three-day Mahanadu — the TDP’s biennial conclave — may come as a surprise. His posts gave the impression that he was speaking not as an ally, but as a TDP leader himself.
On the first day of Mahanadu (May 27), Pawan Kalyan shared a long message that raised eyebrows, suggesting complete alignment with Naidu.
“When we hear or read the word 'Mahanadu', it instantly reminds us of the Telugu Desam Party — such is its deep connection with the hearts of Telugu people…” he wrote.
He further added: “This three-day celebration, driven by a spirit of public service and people’s welfare, is commendable for its discussion of six key themes. It is praiseworthy that plans will be drawn up based on these discussions. The Mahanadu venue, beautifully decorated in yellow, is a visual delight. I wholeheartedly wish for the successful conduct of this celebration.” He tagged both Naidu and Lokesh in the post.
On the second day, Pawan paid glowing tributes to TDP founder and legendary actor N T Rama Rao, calling him a proud son of Telugu soil.
He lauded NTR’s contributions to Telugu pride and public service, and praised institutions like the NTR Trust and Basavatarakam Cancer Hospital for carrying forward his vision.
On the final day of Mahanadu, Pawan Kalyan again heaped praise on Naidu. He said that under Naidu’s progressive leadership, the TDP had grown steadily over four decades and remained closely connected with the people.
He highlighted Naidu’s contributions as the former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh, particularly in transforming Hyderabad into ‘Cyberabad’ and revolutionizing the IT sector by attracting global giants like Microsoft, IBM, and Dell.
“In 1999, he drafted the 'Andhra Pradesh Vision 2020' document, steering the state toward economic reforms and technology-driven development. His immense experience, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to public service continue to guide the state’s comprehensive growth,” he wrote.
Such effusive praise from the president of one political party toward another—though an alliance partner — is rare in Indian politics. Pawan Kalyan’s remarks blur the line between ally and advocate.
What should one call this? Magnanimity — or political surrender?
