Pawan does it with a bang

• Pawan Kalyan launches Jana Sena Party amid power punches
• Gives a clarion call for ‘Congress Hatao, Desh Bachao’
• ‘Joining politics, as I am anguished by the manner of division’
• ‘Inspired by Netaji Bose and Bhagat Singh, taking up people’s causes’
• ‘Not a leader of any caste or group, but a true Indian at heart’
• Lambasts KCR, VH and Venkaiah; decries ‘personal attacks’ on him
• Does not name or target Chandrababu Naidu, Jaganmohan Reddy
• Says: ‘To live greatly, wish greatly’; No clarity on contesting polls

Hyderabad: Popular film actor Pawan Kalyan on Friday launched his ‘Jana Sena’ (People's Army) Party, vowing that it would take up people’s issues and question and expose the powers-that-be.

In a scathing attack on the Congress party and the top leadership including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other leaders, he gave a clarion call, “Congress Hatao, Desh Bachao.” In his two-hour-long meeting, he said he had no intention of launching a party, but it was the manner in which the Congress party divided the state and the way the political leaders surrendered before the Centre that forced his entry into the field. He said he had no desire to go round in official cars with red light or become the Chief Minister or even a minister.

Pawan said he cares a damn for these things.

Pawan said that Sonia and Rahul should go to Vizianagaram and listen to the agony of the people. He said that among the Telangana leaders, he liked Jagga Reddy most.

If he had led the agitation for division, people would have separated in a friendly way, distributing sweets amongst themselves. The Congress party should have started the process long back. It was wrong to divide it in just 25 minutes in Parliament, he said.

Criticising the AICC general secretary in-charge of AP affairs, Digvijay Singh, he said, “A noble soul said ‘Pawan, you launch a party, but merge it with Congress.’ Who is he to ask me and tell me what I am supposed to do?” He was equally angry with TRS leader KCR for the manner in which he had made fun of his attempts to launch the party. He expressed his disagreement over the language KCR used against the people of Seemandhra. Taking umbrage at the comments of K Kavitha who said Pawan should first apologise to the people of Telangana. He said it would be better if she got ready to explain how much funds she got from abroad, how she spent it during agitation and what she proposed to do with those funds in future.

He also cautioned the politicians not to try and hit him below the belt by making comments on his personal life. If that does not stop then he will expose all the leaders howsoever big one might be – even if it is Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or even Robert Vadra. Personally, he said he is not against any political leader. He only wants to fight against the parties on ideology basis and for people’s sake only. Taking potshots at Congress leader VH Hanumantha Rao who said that Pawan who got married thrice had no reason to launch a party, he asked if VHR could state that Rahul Gandhi was still a bachelor. He dared the Congress leader to make it clear whether Rahul still maintains celibacy.

Pawan did not even spare BJP senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu. He said it was Venkaiah Naidu who stooped too low and bargained for Seemandhra package in the Parliament.

The Jana Sena founder said he is not finding fault with the way the TRS president KCR functioned, but he only strongly opposes the manner in which KCR created animosity between the people of both the regions for short-term political gains.

He also criticised the Telangana Congress leaders for the ill treatment they had meted to former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao after his death. He said the Congress party had shown utter disregard to a man who had brought in economic reforms in the country. “Telugu people are emotional fools and the Congress is encashing on it for political benefits,” he said.

Pawan said he would not take inspiration from any of the politicians. He said for him inspiration comes from Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose, and he would fight for people, based on their ideology. He said some leader remarked that Kapus would not accept him. “Who are they to accept me or not?” He said for him there is no place for caste, community or such narrow issues.

Pawan thundered that he had decided to launch Jana Sena “with an aim to achieve rule of law, provide stable governance, ensure medical facility to all the poor at free of cost, strive for abolition of black marketing, and fight for protection to women.”

Delivering an emotion-packed speech with punch dialogues, Pawan said he was not against his brother Chiranjeevi but was opposed to the Congress party which created a wedge between the people of two regions. He did not give clarity on whether or not his party would contest the polls. However, he invited dedicated young people to join his party.

What does the emblem stand for?

Jana Sena emblem has been carefully designed to define various aspects of life and struggle of people across a cross-spectrum of life

White background: The white background on which the red star is depicted, stands for peace and stability of several thousands of years of the Indian civilisation and culture.

Red colour: Emblem is in red colour, which signifies revolution. A deep and true change from within, yet the story of that change is told on the stable background of our ancient nation.

Six-pointed Star: The star in the emblem is a six-pointed star which signifies the six ideals of Jana Sena party. The six ideals are mixed with our blood as we are sons and daughters of those ideals handed down to us from several generations. The white colour in the star signifies self-luminosity which shines on its own because ideals are lights unto our path

Dot in the centre: The dot in the centre represents the soul of every being. The soul at the Centre is also at the heart of everything we do as individuals and as a nation.

Black lining: The black lining symbolises the balance between revolutionary zeal and its opposing forces to avoid one-sidedness and discordance.

Good script, fine delivery

• He has to prove it is not mere emotional outburst
• Unlike Kiran, he urges acceptance of T reality

Political Analyst

It is unusual. It appears to be non-serious, but there is a method in the way it was done. Pawan Kalyan certainly impressed his fans with his speech at the launch of his party, Jana Sena, on Friday. He threw punches enthralling his admirers. It is most unlikely oration for a leader who has come up with a political party just before general election. The main theme was anti-Congress. “Congress Hatao, Desh Bachao” was the full-throated slogan he gave at the end of the meeting in which he was the only person on the stage, a la his brother Chiranjeevi more than five years ago when the latter launched “Praja Rajyam Party” at Tirupati. But the younger brother’s articulation and body language were far more striking, flowing and natural than the elder one’s. It is far better than the way Kiran Kumar Reddy, former Chief Minister, spoke at Rajahmundry last week at the time of inaugurating his own political outfit, ‘Jai Samaikyandhra.’

Pawan Kalyan was more realistic and reasonable in his opinion on the question of bifurcation of the State. He spent a lot of time to establish his credentials as a person who loves the people and culture of Telangana. He also made it point to express anguish at the way people of Seemandhra were made to get out of Hyderabad without being shown where to go. He blamed the leaders of all political parties for the state of affairs. He expressed pain at the way the State was bifurcated without caring to convince the people. While he did not criticise TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu by name, most of his jibes were directed at TRS president Chandrasekhara Rao and his daughter Kavita. He made a frontal attack on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi. Pawan’s presentation was full of innuendos, sarcasm and emotional bursts.

It went on for more than a hundred minutes. He had his notes before him. He was thumping the papers but appeared as though he was making an extempore speech. It was seen as thinking loud and conversing with the crowd. Pawan mark exhibition of emotions have dotted the show.

But at the end of it all, he said he is not sure if his party would put up candidates in the general election. He said it is going to be a long-drawn exercise. He spoke just for less than 10 minutes about the philosophy and principles of the party. Most of the speck was devoted to express his inner feelings and thoughts accumulated over the years.

Unlike, Kiran Reddy who still insists that the division is not yet over and it can still be stopped, Pawan has accepted the fact of the bifurcation and appealed to the political class not to continue divisive politics and let people in both the States live like brothers and sisters. The script was good. The diction and delivery were fine. It remains to be seen whether it is one of Pawan Kalyan’s emotional outbursts or a sustained effort to float and run a political party.