Telugu actor and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan today met TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu at his residence to work out a joint strategy against Andhra Pradesh government’s latest order prohibiting public meetings or road shows on highways or panchayat and municipal roads.
The second meeting between the duo in three months has prompted political speculation about the possibility of an electoral understanding between the TDP and the Jana Sena, which is an ally of the BJP in AP, before 2024 elections.
Naidu who is keen for a tie up with the BJP also called for the Centre’s intervention over the new government order curbing the democratic rights. However, Pawan Kalyan said that electoral alliances among the opposition parties will be discussed later.
The meeting came a day after the YSRCP government appointed a judicial inquiry by the retired judge of AP High Court Seshasayana Reddy into the stampedes at Kandukur and Guntur meetings attended by N Chandrababu Naidu. The inquiry panel will submit its report within a month.
Apart from putting severe restrictions on Naidu during his recent visit to his constituency Kuppam, the government order is going to affect both the TDP and the Jana Sena since Nara Lokesh will be undertaking 400 days long padayatra from 27 January while Pawan Kalyan will soon announce a statewide bus yatra.
Following the meeting between the two leaders, Pawan Kalyan said: “YSRCP has brought out a GO (government order) belonging to the British era. We will plan a joint strategy to fight against the new GO prohibiting public meetings on roads. I will soon speak to the BJP on how to overcome such a GO by the YSRCP.”
Naidu said: “This government does not want Pawan Kalyan and TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh to undertake Padyatra. Political parties and people’s organizations will wage a combined fight to save democracy. If necessary, the Centre too should intervene.”
He also recounted his experience in Kuppam where he claimed that 3000 policemen were deployed to stop him from entering and false cases were booked against TDP supporters. He pointed out that maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the police.
The first meeting between Naidu and Pawan Kalyan took place in October last year after the latter was stopped from conducting his outreach programme Yuva Vani by police in Visakhapatnam. Naidu had visited Pawan Kalyan to express solidarity. A fortnight later Pawan Kalyan had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he arrived at Visakhapatnam.