Five years following his unsuccessful bid for both Assembly seats, Pawan Kalyan, the leader of Jana Sena and a renowned actor, has finally clinched a seat in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
Securing victory in the Pithapuram constituency within the Kakinada district, he defeated seasoned politician Vanga Geetha from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) with a significant margin of 70,279 votes. Pawan Kalyan garnered 1,34,394 votes while Vanga Geetha, a former MP from Kakinada, managed 64,115 votes.
This electoral triumph not only marks Pawan Kalyan's inaugural win but also establishes his party as a formidable contender, winning all 21 Assembly seats and both contested Lok Sabha seats.
After a decade-long endeavor, Pawan Kalyan and his party have made substantial strides in the political arena.
With 21 seats, Jana Sena emerged as the second-largest party in the 175-member Assembly, overshadowing the YSRCP, which secured only 11 seats. This victory signifies a significant moment for Pawan Kalyan, who spearheaded the alignment with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and later persuaded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join forces against the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP.
The tripartite coalition swept the polls, securing 164 Assembly seats and 21 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.
The triumph of Pawan Kalyan, the younger sibling of megastar Chiranjeevi, brought immense jubilation to the family. Chiranjeevi, despite his unsuccessful political venture, along with Pawan Kalyan's other actor brother Naga Babu, Chiranjeevi’s son Ram Charan, nephew Allu Arjun, and other relatives, extended their congratulations.
Pawan Kalyan's spouse, Konidala Anna (formerly known as Anna Lezhneva), and son celebrated the victory alongside him.
Popularly known as Power Star, Pawan Kalyan dedicated over one-and-a-half months to campaigning in Pithapuram, conducting vigorous road shows. His nephew and fellow actor Varun Tej also contributed by organizing a spirited road show.
A boost to Pawan Kalyan's campaign came from his elder brother Chiranjeevi, who urged Pithapuram voters to elect the Jana Sena leader.
In a video message, Chiranjeevi highlighted Pawan Kalyan's transition from films to politics, emphasizing his voluntary decision to enter the political arena.
Just days before the polls, Ram Charan, along with his mother Surekha and uncle Allu Arjun, visited Pithapuram to express their solidarity.
Pawan Kalyan's recent acquisition of a residence in Pithapuram signifies his commitment to being close to the people and working towards their development.
Since launching the Jana Sena Party in March 2014, Pawan Kalyan has navigated political alliances, initially backing the BJP-led NDA in the 2014 elections. Disenchanted with the Congress over the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, he campaigned for the TDP-BJP alliance and shared platforms with then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.
However, disillusioned with both the BJP and the TDP for reneging on promises, he distanced himself from both parties.
His electoral debut in 2019 proved unsuccessful, losing in both the Assembly seats he contested. Despite forming an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Left parties, Jana Sena managed to secure only one seat in the Assembly and none in the Lok Sabha.
Critics often accused Pawan Kalyan of being a part-time politician, but he remained steadfast in positioning himself in state politics. Despite facing internal criticism for limiting the party's seat allocation, he appealed to supporters and party members to give him time, affirming his commitment to a long-term political career.
Unlike his brother Chiranjeevi, who disbanded his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) shortly after its inception, Pawan Kalyan is resolute in his pursuit of modern political ideals. Recognizing his strengths and weaknesses, the 52-year-old exercised caution to avoid past mistakes, opting for a realistic seat distribution to ensure the success of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance and prevent the dilution of anti-YSRCP votes.
Analysts commend Pawan Kalyan's maturity in negotiating seat-sharing arrangements, recognizing his status as a youth icon and crowd-puller. Reflecting his on-screen persona as an impassioned youth, he exhibited fervor in advocating for the people's concerns, particularly in confrontations with the YSRCP-led government.
