Pawan Kalyan missing in action, worries Telangana BJP

Despite the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) active election campaign, its alliance partner, Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader and actor Pawan Kalyan, is conspicuously absent from the scene.

Hyderabad: Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) has launched intensive election campaign, its alliance partner Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief and actor Pawan Kalyan is missing in action.

While top leaders from major parties are actively involved in the campaign for their candidates, holding rallies and road shows across the State, Pawan Kalyan is yet to make a formal entry into the electioneering, causing worry to his alliance partner BJP.

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The BJP has forged an alliance with Pawan Kalyan’s party in the hope that he may help in transfer of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) votes to its candidates.

The Saffron party leadership was also expecting Pawan Kalyan, who has a large fan following in the two Telugu States, to use his stardom to not only get support for the BJP candidates but also cut into the anti-incumbency votes. But with less than ten days left for the poll campaign to end, the BJP is looking worried as there is no indication from the power star about his campaigning strategies.

Last week, Pawan Kalyan shared the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at ‘BC Atma Gaurav sabha’ public meeting in Hyderabad and since then he has not been seen on the public platform. Sources said Pawan Kalyan’s absence from the Telangana political scenario and his focus on Andhra Pradesh politics is worrying Jana Sena candidates in Telangana as it would have a negative impact on the prospects of the party in the upcoming elections.

The Jana Sena is contesting eight seats- Kukatpally, Tandur, Kodad, Nagarkurnool, Khammam, Kothagudem, Wyra(ST), and Aswaraopet (ST)- in the upcoming polls. However, so far the Jana Sena chief has not campaigned even in one constituency his party is contesting.

It is learnt that the BJP State leaders have asked the power star to start his campaigning as next week party central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and several central ministers would be addressing meetings in various constituencies across the State and if he joins the campaign the BJP would benefit.