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The Jana Sena is contesting in 8 Assembly constituencies in the neighboring Telangana State in alliance with the BJP. The two parties tied up in the last minute and Jana Sena fielded its candidates in all the eight constituencies.
The candidates are in the race as independents as the Election Commission did not allot the party’s symbol as the party is not a registered or recognized party in Telangana. With free symbols, the candidates are finding it tough to fight the electoral battle, against the BRS and the Congress.
However, despite his busy film schedules, Pawan Kalyan is visiting Andhra Pradesh for the party activities and public programmes. But he is not finding time to campaign for the party candidates in Telangana.
Sources say it would cost at least Rs 2 crore for Pawan Kalyan to campaign in Telangana for a single day. If he campaigns for all the 8 candidates, it will cost him Rs 16 crore. Once he begins the campaign, the BJP might also ask him to campaign for them in a couple of constituencies. If he does so, the cost might go up to at least Rs 25 crore.
If it is in Andhra Pradesh, the TDP would fund his programmes. As the TDP is not contesting in Telangana and is said to be supporting the Congress, the TDP would not give him any money to campaign for Jana Sena and the BJP. So, Pawan Kalyan would have to take the money from his own pocket.
The BJP is not ready to fund him for his campaigns. The BJP leaders are busy funding their own candidates. They are also funding their own leaders’ campaigns in the state. They have no money to give to Pawan Kalyan.
Besides the money issue, Pawan Kalyan is also doubtful of the public gatherings for his campaign. Thousands of youths would attend his public meetings and road shows in Andhra Pradesh, but there is no guarantee that the same crowd would come for his meetings in Telangana. If he fails to collect crowd in Telangana, that will have impact in Andhra Pradesh too, where he is firm on contesting the next elections.
This is said to be the reason why Pawan Kalyan is not campaigning in Telangana. Money and masses are the two major issues which have kept Pawan Kalyan out of campaign in the elections. The candidates would have to find their own ways and means to fight the elections as independent candidates.
