Pawan Kalyan Announces Jana Sena Will Contest 2028 Telangana Assembly Elections
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan announced on June 3, 2026, that his party will rebuild its presence in Telangana and contest the 2028 state assembly elections. Speaking at a press conference at his Hyderabad residence on Telangana Formation Day, Kalyan declared the party's plans for active political expansion in the state.
The announcement followed a period of political friction after the Congress-led state government denied the Jana Sena Party permission to hold a public meeting in Hyderabad, citing potential tensions. The denial of permission triggered sharp exchanges online between Jana Sena supporters and other local voices.
Kalyan stated that local party leaders and workers had requested him to strengthen the party's presence in Telangana. He expressed his intention to tour Telangana, as he had done in the past, to rally support. In previous Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, Kalyan had withdrawn his candidates, but he stated that he is now willing to give his leaders the freedom to contest on their own.
Addressing questions about alliances, Kalyan acknowledged uncertainty regarding whether his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), would join him in the Telangana elections. He noted that state BJP leader N Ramchander Rao had already declared that the BJP would contest the GHMC polls alone. Kalyan added that any decision by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regarding the elections remains their own prerogative.
Responding to critics who questioned his political involvement in Telangana, Kalyan highlighted his long-standing support for the creation of the state, clarifying that he had only opposed the manner in which Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated. He questioned why leaders from other states can contest in the region while his party's presence is challenged, referencing historical candidacies of Indira Gandhi in Medak, as well as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in the south.
Kalyan also urged for calm and warned against rising separatism based on language and regionalism, calling on the central government to act. He emphasized that his campaign in Telangana would focus on public welfare rather than division, noting that his past support for local figures like Gaddar showed his commitment to the people of the state.
