Almost 10 years ago, when Pawan Kalyan, the younger brother of ‘megastar’ and former union Minister K. Chiranjeevi, was in the prime of his film career, he took the plunge into politics by setting up the Jana Sena Party (JSP).
Today, the JSP is an emerging force in Andhra Pradesh, at least in the eyes of its alliance partner at the Centre, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the local friend, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The actor-turned-politician belongs to the Kapu community, which makes up about 24% of the population in the State. Owing to his cine glamour and popularity, the JSP enjoys some mass support.
Now, the JSP is seen as a key player in the State against the backdrop of the TDP’s legal setbacks and the arrest of its supremo and former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu. With more leaders in the TDP booked in multiple cases, the JSP is expected to play a larger role in filling the leadership vacuum in the State.
