After the success of the NDA alliance in Andhra Pradesh, in which Pawan Kalyan played a key role in convincing the BJP to support the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and JSP to form the alliance. (Source: Facebook )Jana Sena Party (JSP) president and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan has announced that his party would contest elections in Telangana.He said, however, that he was not sure whether his alliance partners in Andhra Pradesh, the BJP and the TDP, would join him in Telangana. He is expected to stitch together an alliance with at least one Telangana-based party. In the December 2023 Assembly elections, the JSP had contested eight Assembly seats in Telangana, but drew a blank. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it unsuccessfully contested five parliamentary seats.After the success of the NDA alliance in Andhra Pradesh, in which Pawan Kalyan played a key role in convincing the BJP to support the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and JSP to form the alliance that dislodged Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP, he is exploring political opportunities in Telangana.Ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in Telangana, Chandrababu Naidu tried to revive the TDP in Telangana, but after he was arrested in the alleged Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation scam, the plan was put on the back burner.Apart from roping in the BJP again, the JSP and TDP may try to partner with other parties, too, including K Kavitha’s newly launched Telangana Rashtra Sena to form an alliance in Telangana.However, at the press conference on Tuesday, Kalyan said he was not sure if the TDP and BJP would join him. “BJP has announced it will contest the GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) elections alone. I cannot speak for TDP. My party leaders are insisting that we strengthen the party in Telangana and contest elections, which we will do,” he said.Last week, JSP had applied to the Cyberabad Police for permission to hold a meeting at Sandhya Convention ground at Gachihowli, which was to be addressed by Kalyan. However, police denied permission, citing the 12th Telangana Formation Day. The police reply also cited tensions caused by a controversy over political analyst and former Telangana MLC K Nageshwar’s remarks during a TV debate that Kalyan had approached Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seek the arrest of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Kalyan and JSP have not only denied it but have also filed FIRs against Nageshwar, who has since apologised and withdrawn his remarks. Police said the incident created acrimony between the people of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and that a JSP meeting could lead to tensions escalating.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, several political leaders, including Telangana Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, asked why Kalyan wanted to hold meetings in Telangana.In response, Kalyan said at the press conference at the JSP office in Hyderabad, “Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi can go to Wayanad or anywhere and contest, but I cannot? These persons who are objecting, do they think Telangana is their fiefdom? You are threatening attacks on me? Come, here is my home address.”“JSP was launched from here, in Hyderabad. I have a commitment towards Telangana. I have a deep emotional bond with Telangana that goes beyond politics, and it is precisely the reason I have facilitated a donation of Rs 30 crore for the Lord Anjanaya temple at Kondagattu. You intend to stop me? I will tour every single corner of this region myself. I have made up my mind now. I have always supported Telangana; I only opposed how Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated. I will work for the welfare of Telangana’s people as per the wishes of my party leaders,” he said.Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram