It seems that Jana Sena Party president and power star Pawan Kalyan has no immediate plans to position himself as an alternative power center in Andhra Pradesh and appears content playing a deputy role to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Whenever given the opportunity, Pawan Kalyan has been effusive in his praise of Naidu, lauding his leadership qualities and stating that he has much to learn from Naidu’s administrative skills.
On Monday, Pawan Kalyan once again expressed his admiration, stating that he draws inspiration from Naidu and that his leadership is crucial for the state's all-around development in the coming years.
"He is an emperor of administration. His vast experience is a strength for the state. It would have been a wrong decision had we not aligned with Naidu. We would have made a big mistake if we didn’t take advantage of his experience and hard work,” Pawan said.
He explained that his decision to form an alliance with the TDP, supported by the BJP, was based on his trust in Naidu’s experience and abilities.
“My judgment has not been proven wrong. We are able to make significant decisions for the state's development because I chose to join hands with Naidu,” he added.
However, analysts suggest that if Pawan Kalyan continues with this approach towards the TDP, he may never realize his ambition of leading the state in the future.
“Currently, he gives the impression that he has no grand political ambitions and is content with the deputy CM role. But this won’t benefit his party in the long run,” an analyst remarked.
According to the analyst, despite Pawan’s praise, Naidu will not take him lightly and would not hesitate to suppress Pawan's political growth, as he could be seen as a threat to Naidu’s heir apparent, Nara Lokesh.
“If not now, Pawan Kalyan may need to step out and establish himself independently within the next few years,” sources noted.