Premium

Speculation rife as Pawan Kalyan cancels Telangana campaign trip at last moment

Kalyan’s camp blames health. Deputy CM was to campaign for local body polls

Pawan KalyanPawan Kalyan belongs to the Kapu community, which has a sizeable population in some parts of Telangana. (Source: FB)

Just a day before he was scheduled to go to Telangana on a campaign for the urban local body elections in the state, NDA ally and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has cancelled the trip.

The Jana Sena Party chief was set to tour four constituencies in south Telangana on February 7, sources close to him said. The Telangana local body polls are scheduled to be held on February 11. The results will be declared on February 13.

Sources close to Kalyan maintained he cancelled the tour because of a minor health issue. At the same time, speculation is rife whether the visit ran into rough weather after his comments blaming an “evil eye” for issues in Andhra Pradesh’s Konaseema region. Many political leaders had interpreted this as a jab at Telangana and demanded that Kalyan apologise.

While the row around Kalyan’s statement erupted in December 2025, tensions regarding it still simmer in Telangana. On February 5, Telangana Congress leader and minister in the Revanth Reddy Cabinet, Ponnam Prabhakar, said the BJP was “insulting Telangana” by making Kalyan campaign in the state.

A top BJP source indicated there was some discomfiture over the controversy. “The BJP has decided to go alone in the polls. When the Jana Sena chief said that he would extend support, we agreed keeping in mind NDA unity. Now he has decided not to come,” a BJP source told The Indian Express.

Kalyan belongs to the Kapu community, which has a sizeable population in some parts of Telangana. The BJP in Telangana, though, has no dearth of Kapu leaders, including Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar and MP Dharmapuri Arvind.

Sources also said the Jana Sena’s decision to field candidates in the local body polls in Telangana didn’t particularly enthuse the BJP.

Story continues below this ad

Those close to Kalyan maintained the Jana Sena would actively support the BJP in Telangana.

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments