Amaravati: Hitting back at Jana Sena leader and actor Pawan Kalyan, Andhra Pradesh’s Transport Minister Perni Venkatramaiah called him a confused leader who doesn’t have one ideology.
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader reacted sharply to Pawan Kalyan’s remarks against Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and the party at Jana Sena’s formation day meeting on Monday.
Nani, as Perni Venkatramaiah is popularly known, alleged that the agenda of Pawan Kalyan is only to criticise the YSRCP government and support the Telugu Desam party (TDP).
Nani, who is also information and public relations minister, said that if Pawan Kalyan started the party to raise his voice against injustice, then why was he silent during 2014-2109 when the TDP was in power.
He questioned Pawan Kalyan why he suddenly came out with the concept to ensure no split of anti-incumbency votes.
Addressing the public meeting, Pawan Kalyan had exuded confidence that Jana Sena will come to power in 2024 and that there will be no split of anti-YSRCP votes.
The minister slammed Jana Sena leader for targeting YSRCP ministers and MLAs personally.
He questioned Pawan Kalyan as to why he did not raise his voice against BJP which didn’t give special category status to Andhra Pradesh and also didn’t implement commitments made in Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
Nani also dared Pawan to speak about the Polavaram project and steel plant in Kadapa. He alleged that the aim of Pawan Kalyan is to bring Congress, TDP, BJP, CPI, CPI-M under one roof to fight the next election against the Chief Minister.
The minister recalled that Pawan Kalyan spoke against Amaravati as capital earlier and took a U-turn now.
Listing out the welfare schemes being implemented by the YSRCP government, Nani said Pawan Kalyan has become the mouthpiece of TDP president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and is criticising the government for vested interests.