Mumbai:

Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan, who recently tasted victory in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, has said that he will continue to work in films.

Mr Kalyan also assumed charge as the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, leaving the fans with a bittersweet feeling as they thought that the actor would now be engaged full-time in politics.

But Pawan Kalyan has finally broken his silence on his stand on films. The actor assured fans that he would be doing films. As per Track Tollywood, the actor shared the timeline as he said that he will start doing films in the next three months. He will start completing three films which were put on hold.

These films are ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’, ‘OG’ and ‘Ustaad Bhagat Singh’. It is reported that the actor will first concentrate on completing these films. However, there’s no clarity about him taking up new projects.

Producer AM Rathnam has also recently said that he was hoping to release ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’ in theatres this December. The film, which was announced in 2019, went through several production delays owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. It also stars Bobby Deol.

As per media reports, director Krish Jagarlamudi, who was earlier supposed to helm the film, has walked out of the project as a director and will be reportedly serving as a mentor to AM Rathnam’s son, Jyothi Krishna.

‘OG’ is said to have been pushed to next year. ‘Ustaad Bhagat Singh’ may also release next year.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Gollaprolu (Andhra Pradesh):

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday said he declined to accept his salary and any special allowances, including new furniture for his office, considering the precarious financial condition of the state.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that officials at his camp office recently asked him about its renovation and purchase of furniture, but he rejected those privileges.

“They (officials) asked what to do about the camp office (renovation) and repairs. I told them not to do anything and leave it alone. I told them not to buy any new furniture and I will bring it on my own if it is needed,” said Mr Kalyan, addressing a meeting after he participated in the welfare pension disbursal programme.

The actor-politician further mentioned that officials from the Secretariat came to get his signature on documents related to his salary of Rs 35,000 for attending the House for three days.

However, he told them that he could not take the salary.

Mr Kalyan claimed that the Panchayat Raj Department, which he heads as a minister, lacked adequate funds, prompting him to deny these privileges.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Amravati:

Senior YSRCP leader Mudragada Padmanabham has officially changed his name to ‘Padmanabha Reddy’, fulfilling his pledge made during the election campaign, after he failed to ensure the defeat of Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan in the recently concluded Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls.

The septuagenarian changed his name following the victory of Mr Kalyan from Pithapuram Assembly constituency.

In the run-up to the polls, the YSRCP leader had challenged that he would defeat Mr Kalyan.

“Nobody forced me to change my name. I have changed it on my own volition,” Mr Reddy told media.

However, he complained that the Janasena chief’s fans and followers were allegedly abusing him.

“The youth who love you (Kalyan) are incessantly dropping expletive messages. In my view this is not right. Rather than abusing, do one thing…eliminate us (all family members),” said Mr Reddy.

Mr Reddy, a prominent Kapu community leader and former minister has campaigned for Kapu reservation.

He joined the YSRCP a few months before the elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan has been made a deputy chief minister in Chandrababu Naidu’s government in Andhra Pradesh. Mr Kalyan, who was elected the Jana Sena Party’s floor leader in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly earlier this week, returned home to a warm welcome on Wednesday. His wife Anna Lezhneva, a former model-actress from Russia, marked the occasion with a traditional Hindu ritual. She performed aarti and applied a tika on his forehead. The moment, captured on camera, went viral across social media platforms.

Winning Celebrations of Pawan Kalyan – the man who created history by bringing together Jana Sena, BJP and TDP as an alliance in Andhra Pradesh and winning both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. pic.twitter.com/SZdHVpUvUP

— Megh Updates ???? (@MeghUpdates) June 4, 2024

A user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Wow,welcomed With traditional culture of Bharat. Great.”

Wow,welcomed With traditional culture of Bharat. Great????????????????

— प्रखर द्विवेदी (@adityakumarKVK) June 6, 2024

Another wished her the best. “Best wishes to Mrs Kalyan. Great adaptation to Indian culture, Ma’am.”

Best wishes to Mrs Kalyan. Great adaptation to Indian culture, Ma’am.

— CHANCHAL KUMAR DATTA (@CHANCHALKUMARD9) June 10, 2024

“Very happy to see the traditions followed esp by Mrs. Pavan,” a read a comment. 

Very happy to see the traditions followed esp. by Mrs. Pavan.

— Gurunath Hari (@HariGurunath) June 9, 2024

Anna Lezhneva first met Pawan Kalyan during the filming of the movie Teen Maar in 2011. They got married two years later, in September 2013. She is Pawan Kalyan’s third wife and shares a son, Mark Shankar Pawanovich, with him. She also has a daughter from a previous marriage.

Over the years, Ms Lezhneva’s relationship with Mr Kalyan has faced scrutiny and challenges, largely due to the Telugu star’s complex marital history. He was previously married to Nandini in 1997, which ended in divorce in 2008. He then got married to actress Renu Desai in 2009, with whom he shares two children, before their separation in 2012.

Pawan Kalyan, the leader of JSP, was sworn in as a minister in the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah and JP Nadda, and other dignitaries. 

The BJP-TDP-Jana Sena alliance swept the Andhra Pradesh elections. They won 164 out of the total 175 Assembly seats and 21 of Andhra’s 25 Lok Sabha seats.

Ambati Rayudu interview: On IPL 2024, his stint at CSK and dabbling in politics

A lot can change in a year; Ambati Rayudu knows that.

Last May, he was jumping with joy at the Chennai Super Kings’ dugout in Ahmedabad, having contributed to one of IPL’s most memorable finals that the men in yellow won off the last ball. Late into the night, MS Dhoni would receive the trophy and hand it over to a beaming Rayudu in his last IPL match as a cricket player.

This May, Rayudu — now a commentator with Star Sports and talking about the game with as much passion as he once played it — was desolate, as he saw his former team get knocked out of TATA IPL 2024 on a rainy Saturday evening in Bangalore. In a video that is now going viral among cricket fans, Rayudu sits, his face buried in his hands, in disbelief.

Rayudu was showing his emotions, like he has always done. “Yes, I am an emotional being,” he tells me over a virtual conversation, a day before the CSK-RCB match, “I’ve always wanted things to be fair, and always fought for what I believe is right.”

Currently, the six-time IPL champion is busy with a hectic commentary stint. It is not something he would have fancied when he was a player, but Rayudu is enjoying it nevertheless. “I didn’t know if I would be good at it, because I hardly spoke during my playing days. But, with friends and family, I used to love discussing cricket. I pride myself as being a good student of the game and trying to understand its various intricacies. Broadcasting and commentating are new to me and I’m slowly trying to understand how things work, though many a time, I speak from the heart. I’m just happy I am still connected to the sport.”

Batting for CSK

IPL 2024 might have ended on a sour note for CSK, but Dhoni and Jadeja — the two men who were at the crease during the last moments of the recent Bangalore game — have been Chennai’s favourite IPL stars for many years now. Recalling the moments leading up to the famous CSK win of 2023, Rayudu says, “Remember Dhoni lifting Jadeja after he won us the game? We all know what CSK means to Dhoni, but it proved what it meant to Jadeja, who has been the team’s go-to man, be it batting, bowling or fielding.”

Rayudu was a star with Mumbai Indians in the earlier editions of IPL but has been vocal about his support for Chennai Super Kings, with which he had a successful stint. So, what is the amazing team environment that everyone raves about? “CSK is family. They let you be. At CSK, you are treated just the way you are treated at home; I’m not saying there is no pressure to win, but it’s the way you are treated at home, with parents or siblings. Every player feels like he belongs. The management and the support staff never speaks negatively and never puts you down. Even players who are not playing are constantly looked after; when that happens, you want to give your best. Say, if a player’s capacity is to score a 50 off 20 balls, due to this environment, you would like to do it in 18. This is why many players, who might not have played so well for other franchises, bloom here.” What also helps is the loyalty factor among players; someone like an MS Dhoni has been with the team since its inception. “Even after his retirement, I’m sure he will be associated with the team in a major capacity.”

Rayudu has been associated with Indian cricket for a long time — playing for India was the most memorable moment of his career — but he feels that the IPL, conceptualised in 2008, has brought the game closer to fans. “They understand T-20 cricket better, and they identify more with the players. The league is also a game-changer in terms of identifying talent. Previously, even if you were a talented player, you could get lost in the system if you are not identified by a certain set of selectors. But the IPL has been a great platform and throws the spotlight on players; a cricketer like Ashutosh Sharma (Punjab Kings) might not have been identified if he played only for the Railways. That’s the beauty of the IPL.”

The cricketer also dabbled in politics for a while, and this election season, he actively supported popular actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. He hopes to play an active role in public life in the future. “I believe sport can be a unifying factor in bringing people together,” says Rayudu, who also runs a foundation in Guntur that helps people from disadvantaged sections of society,“I believe equal opportunities should be available; I have suffered in the past due to a lot of factors. I hope that a player, even without any godfather, should be able to play the sport just based on his or her talent. I’m looking forward to playing an important role in developing Andhra Pradesh as a better place to live in.”

Watch TATA IPL playoffs and final this week on the Star Sports Network

Hyderabad::

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has sparked a row with his comment today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph was removed from the cover of the joint manifesto of arch rival Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party “after a call from Delhi”. Leaders of the NDA termed his comment an attempt to “create a rift” within the alliance. What was not explained was a video of ceremony to release the manifesto, where BJP state in-charge Siddharth Nath Singh could be seen refusing to accept a copy.

Speaking later, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “In an earlier version of the manifesto, photos of Chandrababu Naidu were prominently displayed alongside that of PM Modi”.

“But before Mr Naidu unveiled his manifesto today, he received a call from the BJP headquarters, saying having PM Modi’s photo on it is not acceptable. This incident only serves to highlight how unattainable his promises are,” he added.

Mr Naidu, however, issued a clarification later. The NDA, he said, has a manifesto at the national level. The TDP and Jana Sena are now releasing this manifesto in consultation with the BJP. The manifesto contains the views of all the parties, he said.    

Mr Naidu had returned to the NDA earlier this year — nearly six years after he walked out protesting against the BJP’s refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. His return was to keep at bay the ruling YSR Congress of Mr Reddy.

There is expectation that the alliance with the BJP and Pawan Kalyan would consolidate the votes of those disillusioned with the Jagan Reddy government.

Mr Naidu has said at a rally that this year will be his last election if the Telugu Desam Party is not voted to power.

The TDP which won 15 of the state’s 25 seats, was down to three in 2019 after its exit from the NDA.

Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh:

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday launched a scathing attack against Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan and compared them to “frogs”.

“Just like frogs in a pond during the rains, with elections around the corner, non-local leaders like Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan are coming to seek votes by deceiving people with fraudulent promises,” he said.

He further lashed out saying, “Once the elections get over, the non-local leaders will leave for Hyderabad. This is the attachment of these non-local leaders to the people of Andhra Pradesh.”

He further said that these kitty party non-local leaders are like the New East India Company members. “I want to remind all that they will loot everything in the state and they would share the loot amongst themselves,” he added.

Earlier on Saturday, Chief Minister Reddy released the YSR Congress Party’s (YSRCP) poll manifesto at the Tadepalli camp office in Vijayawada.

Making slight changes to the assurances made in the 2019 manifesto under Navaratnalu, the YSRCP chief released the manifesto as Navaratnalu Plus.

Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised to gradually hike welfare pensions from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 per month and govern the state from Visakhapatnam.

Notably, during the 2019 elections, YSRCP registered a landslide victory in Andhra Pradesh, winning 151 of the 175 seats in the Assembly, dethroning the TDP government.

In general elections, the YSRCP won 22 of the 25 seats with a vote share of 49.89 per cent, while the TDP could only manage three constituencies and got 40.19 per cent votes. The two national parties–the BJP and Congress–failed to open their account in the state.

However, in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, YSRCP is contesting alone in all 25 parliamentary constituencies and the 175 seats of the state Assembly. It is up against the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former CM N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party (JSP).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pedakurapadu:

TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that Janasena, BJP and TDP joined hands to rid Andhra Pradesh of the ruling YSRCP and ensure that the anti-incumbency vote does not get divided.

Addressing a public meeting at Pedakurapadu in Palnadu district as part of his Prajagalam election canvassing tour, the former chief minister said that the NDA partners banded together for the future of Andhra Pradesh.

“Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan has already given a call to the people that they all should join hands to rid the state of this evil (YSRCP). The TDP, Janasena and the BJP joined hands keeping in view the future of all of you,” Naidu said.

He said that the state endured a “nightmarish” five-year-rule under Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Under the YSRCP government, Naidu said that a great injustice has been done to the Muslim community. The TDP leader assured the community that he will personally take responsibility for their safety.

Naidu said the TDP has been a part of the NDA previously but there was no injustice towards the Muslim community.

Calling Reddy a “power-hungry” person, Naidu alleged that there have been all kinds of loot in Andhra Pradesh, adding that sand mining has become a lucrative business.

He also claimed that had the construction of Amaravati been completed, the state would have received Rs 1 lakh crore per year in revenue, and added that Reddy has destroyed the state completely.

Asserting that he plans 20 years into the future, Naidu recalled his Vision-2020, unveiled in 2000, and said that by 2047, India will be the number one country in the world.

Elections for the 175-member assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled to be held on May 13, and the counting of votes is slated for June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Palnadu, Andhra Pradesh:

TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday exuded confidence that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will form the government in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and said that only the flags of the BJP-TDP-JSP alliance are different, not the agenda.

While addressing the people at Boppudi village, in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu district, the TDP chief said, “I’m happy to see the public gathered before the stage. The NDA will form the government in the upcoming 2024 polls. For the last five years, anarchy has ruled the state. We will take care of the growth and development of the state, and we appeal to the public to vote for the TDP, BJP, Janasena alliance. PM Modi is the ‘Viswaguru’ of Bharat. Our flags are different, but our agenda is not.”

Applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chandrababu Naidu said, “Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikas was introduced by PM Modi. Even in the pandemic situation, our country supported other countries under the leadership of PM Modi. Economic growth of India has increased under the leadership of him.”

Chandrababu Naidu slammed the state government led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and alleged that the latter had looted natural resources.

“Irrigation projects were left to the winds. Chief Minister Jagan has looted natural resources. No development has been seen in the state in the last five years. No companies have been brought to the state. Jagan’s sisters themselves appeal not to cast votes for Jagan. Nobody is safe in the state. Andhra Pradesh is in a financial crisis,” he said.

“PM Modi will secure more than 400 seats in the upcoming polls and will become a hat-trick Prime Minister. I appeal to the people of the state to elect the 25 MPs from the alliance,” the TDP chief added.

The election rally, named “Prajagalam,” marked the first NDA election public rally in Andhra Pradesh in the run-up to the simultaneous Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha polls scheduled for May 13.

Along with announcing Lok Sabha elections that will be held in seven phases beginning on April 19, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday announced the schedule of Assembly polls in four states – Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Odisha.

A total of 96.8 crore voters will be eligible to cast their vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said.

The assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held on May 13. The election for Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held on the same day.

There are a total of 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan held discussions with Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, amid buzz of a strategic alliance between the three parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP, once an integral part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) until 2018, is now exploring the prospect of rekindling the alliance. The talks, held in New Delhi, focused on resolving key issues surrounding seat distribution, with both parties expressing a willingness to collaborate, pending an official announcement expected in the next day or two.

According to sources, the primary discussion revolved around seat-sharing arrangements. A potential alliance could see the BJP contesting six Lok Sabha seats, with the JSP led by Pawan Kalyan contesting two and the TDP holding the remaining 17 Lok Sabha seats. Out of the 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, the BJP and the JSP have reportedly agreed to contest 30 parliamentary constituencies, but the former is asking for more. The TDP meanwhile has made it clear that it will contest alone on 145 seats.

The BJP’s keen interest in securing key constituencies, including Vizag, Vijayawada, Araku, Rajampet, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, and an additional location, remains a sticking point in the negotiations. 

The BJP’s ambitious goal of winning 370 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls has spurred efforts to expand the NDA, considering alliances with regional parties crucial for achieving success. Apart from Andhra Pradesh, the BJP is also mulling a poll pact with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Odisha.