Pawan asks Kapus to work with Dalits and BCs to gain political empowerment

VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan is likely to frame the party’s strategy vis-à-vis the alliance for the 2024 general elections, at the party’s 10th formation day in Machilipatnam on March 14, Tuesday.

At the meeting, Pawan is likely to declare a roadmap to take on the ruling YSR Congress in next year's assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Pawan has asked his party’s rank and file to vote against the YSRC in the MLC elections. But, significantly, he did not ask them to support the BJP candidates though the JSP is an ally of the saffron party, party sources said.

The sources said Pawan will clear the air on Tuesday on the party’s poll alliance with the saffron party or, alternatively, about making a new alliance with the Telugu Desam.

Pawan would arrive at the public meeting venue in his custom-made election campaign vehicle ‘Varahi’. A 34-acre parcel of land located about a kilometre away from the National Highway 65 was offered by a few farmers to Pawan to hold the event.

The venue has been named after Potti Sriramulu, who died after a 56-day hunger strike and prolonged agitation demanding separate statehood for the Telugu speaking areas that were then a part of the Madras province.

JSP leaders said the formation day event is being held in the interest of the future of Andhra Pradesh, with the goal of ousting the YSRC from power.

Meanwhile, Pawan conducted a meeting with Kapu leaders at the party headquarters in Mangalagiri on Sunday. He said the Jana Sena does not work for any other party or seek to promote the agenda of other parties. He said he would not let the self-respect of his party activists be hurt. “If the Kapus can play a big role and go along with the Dalits and BCs, then they could together achieve power in the state. Otherwise, political empowerment will never be possible for them, he said.

Pawan said, “Kapu, Telaga, Balija and Ontari groups are very important among the castes, but they are not able to hold state power even as they have the numerical strength. It is painful that these groups are begging even now for reservation and fee reimbursement. A generation of leaders must be prepared to make sacrifices to empower the Kapus.”

“More importantly, political empowerment is not possible until there is unity among the Kapus. I am saying this as one who fully understands the financial backwardness of the Kapus,” he said.

Pawan said the 2024 general elections are crucial. “Hence, the JSP will prepare its election manifesto by taking suggestions from senior leaders Chegondi Harirama Jogaiah and others.”