If recent events are any indication, it seems that the camaraderie between the leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, hasn't necessarily trickled down to their respective party cadres.
Pawan Kalyan had called upon his cadre to support the bandh organized by TD on Monday to protest Naidu's arrest. However, on the ground, there wasn't an overwhelming response from Jana Sena cadre, except in a few places where the party's flags were seen.
In contrast, Pawan Kalyan took extraordinary measures to meet Naidu, which some TD leaders and affiliated media outlets downplayed.
The only exception was a tweet from Naidu's son and TD general secretary, Lokesh, condemning the police's actions in blocking Pawan Kalyan.
The police prevented Pawan Kalyan from flying to Vijayawada, citing the tense law and order situation, prompting the Jana Sena chief to take to the road.
Mobbed by thousands of fans, he stepped out of his vehicle, walked for a distance, and even lay down on the road when the police repeatedly tried to block his entry into Vijayawada.
"A regrettable aspect is that Telugu Desam leaders and media affiliated with the party downplayed Pawan’s efforts to resist the oppressive administration," said a senior Jana Sena leader, adding that no channel had televised Pawan’s sit-in for about an hour.
Pawan Kalyan had previously called for the consolidation of anti-Jagan Mohan Reddy forces and vowed to work towards an alliance that would prevent a split in the Opposition vote.
Despite facing criticism from the ruling party, including being labeled an "adopted son" and "paid artiste," Pawan held multiple meetings with his TD counterpart, apparently to solidify electoral ties and narrow down seat sharing.
"Pawan Kalyan is determined to go with the TD, no matter what. He is even willing to sever ties with the BJP if he must choose between the two," said a senior Jana Sena leader and a close confidant of Pawan. In fact, Pawan is making efforts to convince the BJP to join the alliance.
However, the cadre does not seem overly enthusiastic about the electoral pact. Surprisingly, following Naidu's arrest, there is a prevailing sentiment in the Jana Sena camp that going it alone against the two alleged corrupt regimes—the TD and the YSRC—might have been the right course of action.
