Actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan has achieved his first electoral victory, marking a significant milestone in his political career. Kalyan, the chief of Jana Sena Party, won the Pithapuram Assembly seat in the Kakinada district by defeating seasoned politician Vanga Geetha of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) by a margin of 70,279 votes. Pawan Kalyan secured 1,34,394 votes, while Vanga Geetha, a former MP from Kakinada, garnered 64,115 votes.
This victory not only marks Pawan Kalyan’s maiden electoral win but also signifies the rise of the Jana Sena Party as a formidable force in Andhra Pradesh. The party clinched all 21 Assembly seats and both Lok Sabha seats it contested, emerging as the second-largest party in the 175-member Assembly, surpassing the YSRCP, which was reduced to just 11 seats.
Pawan Kalyan’s success is part of a broader electoral strategy where he aligned with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and later convinced the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join the coalition to challenge the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP. The tripartite alliance achieved a landslide victory, winning 164 Assembly seats and 21 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.
The victory brought immense joy to Kalyan’s family, including his elder brother and megastar Chiranjeevi, who had faced a setback in his own political career. Chiranjeevi, along with other family members, congratulated Pawan Kalyan on his success.
The campaign in Pithapuram was intense, with Pawan Kalyan conducting roadshows for over a month and receiving support from his family members, including his nephew and actor Varun Tej. Chiranjeevi also appealed to voters through a video message, urging them to support his brother. Two days before the polling, Ram Charan, his mother Surekha, and his uncle Allu Arjun joined the campaign to show their support.
Pawan Kalyan’s commitment to the constituency was evident as he recently bought a home in Pithapuram and announced plans to reside there to work closely with the people for their development.
Pawan Kalyan launched the Jana Sena Party in March 2014 and initially supported the BJP-led NDA in the elections held that year. However, he later distanced himself from both the BJP and the TDP due to unfulfilled promises, including the special category status for Andhra Pradesh. His electoral debut in 2019 was disappointing, as he lost both the Assembly seats he contested—Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram.
Despite the setbacks, Pawan Kalyan remained determined. In 2019, his party had an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Left parties but managed to win only one seat in the Assembly and none in the Lok Sabha.
Pawan Kalyan has often been criticized for being a part-time politician, but he has taken his time to establish himself in state politics. Facing criticism from his party for agreeing to contest only 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats, he appealed to his supporters for patience, emphasizing his long-term commitment to politics. Unlike his brother Chiranjeevi, who dissolved his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) shortly after its launch, Kalyan is determined to achieve his goal of new-age politics.
Analysts believe Pawan Kalyan displayed maturity in the seat-sharing negotiations, ensuring the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance materialized to prevent a split of anti-YSRCP votes. Known as a youth icon and a crowd-puller, Kalyan has crafted an image of a fighter, showing aggression in his confrontations with the YSRCP government while addressing people’s issues.
Sources By Agencies
