Pawan Kalyan launches damage control after ‘Telangana fiefdom’ remark

Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, facing backlash over his ‘Telangana fiefdom’ comment, sought to clarify his position by stressing that he never supported politics aimed at destabilising Telangana.

Hyderabad: Apparently rattled by the backlash over his comments on ‘Telangana fiefdom’, the Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan has apparently initiated a damage-control mission with fresh assertions that he had never supported politics intended to destabilize Telangana.

“My belief has always been in protecting the interests of the people of both Telugu states through mutual respect, peace, cooperation, and a spirit of brotherhood,” he said on X. The JSP chief reiterated that his stand on Telangana and the interests of its people had always been consistent.

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Pawan Kalyan reminded that following the bifurcation of the State, while certain law and order concerns were raised, he had clearly opposed the implementation of Section 8. “I believed it would undermine the self-respect and right to self-governance of the people of Telangana,” he said.

Respecting the aspirations and rights of the people of Telangana was as important as addressing the security concerns of the people of Andhra Pradesh, he stressed.

“Instead of invoking provisions like Section 8, I believed that special coordination mechanisms, parliamentary oversight, and measures that build mutual trust between the two States would provide a more constructive and lasting solution”, Pawan Kalyan added.