Speaking from the heart: Pawan Kalyan’s tirade at YSRCP silences crowd at NDA event
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister’s filmi-style vitriol was met with an uneasy silence — a response that quietly spoke volumes about the need for decency in public life.
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s outbursts are often unbecoming of the office he holds. Dignity and propriety expected in public life take a backseat when Kalyan, who strayed into politics from the glittering, hero-worshiping, and often dystopian world of cinema, picks up the microphone to criticise his rivals.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan, known for his filmi charisma and incendiary oratory, continues to wield his old persona, even after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rode to power in June 2024.
His recent outbursts against the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), marked by threats and inflammatory language, have drawn scrutiny, raising questions about whether his role as a senior government figure is compatible with such provocative rhetoric. From threatening to “break legs” at an official NDA event to accusing YSRCP of promoting criminality, Kalyan’s unabated attacks underscore a reluctance to shed his combative opposition-era style, despite calls for restraint.
On Monday, 23 June, during an event marking one year of NDA’s governance in Andhra Pradesh, attended by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, ministers, and officials, Kalyan unleashed a scathing warning against YSRCP cadres over their provocative “Rappa Rappa (one by one)” placard campaign.
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Reel life inseparable from real?
The slogan, inspired by a dialogue from Pushpa 2, implied a violent reaction to NDA leaders. Speaking at the official function, meant to review the government’s achievements and outline plans, Kalyan strayed into confrontational territory.
“If you come onto the streets with banners to threaten us, we will break your legs and make you sit down,” he declared, adding, “I will trample you down after skinning you (nara teesi tokkipadesta).”
The remarks were deemed inappropriate for an official occasion, where the focus was governance, not political vendetta. Kalyan also remarked that film dialogues like “Rappa Rappa” were acceptable in theaters but not in public life, inadvertently endorsing their use in cinema, which critics argue influences impressionable youth.
The audience, comprising dignitaries rather than Kalyan’s usual fan-rabble, met his vitriolic comments with silence, reflecting consternation rather than applause. Attendees expressed unease over a high-ranking government official issuing such threats, especially when Kalyan himself criticised YSRCP youths for using “objectionable and abusive language,” seemingly oblivious to his emulation of their tactics.
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The Kalyan paradox
The incident was a paradox in itself: While Kalyan condemned YSRCP’s provocations, his aggressive rhetoric mirrored the very behavior he decried.
Kalyan’s penchant for inflammatory language surfaced earlier on 4 November 2024, at a public event in Pithapuram, his constituency in Kakinada district. Addressing rising crimes against women and children, including high-profile rape cases in Tirupati and Kadapa, he lashed out at Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha (TDP) for inadequate law enforcement, warning he might take over her portfolio.
“You are the Home Minister… discharge your duties well, or I will be forced to take over the Home Department as well,” he said, suggesting a tougher approach akin to Uttar Pradesh’s Yogi Adityanath.
Turning his ire on YSRCP, Kalyan blamed their 2019–2024 governance for fostering a criminal environment. “The reason for the existence of people who commit despicable acts like raping children as young as three and five years is because of the environment fostered by past leaders who failed to uphold basic law and order,” he stated, branding YSRCP’s legacy as “vile” and its supporters as “lowly lives.”
He accused YSRCP workers of abusing women online, citing threats against his family during their regime: “Some said they would rape or assault female members of my family. Such people faced no consequences.”
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A hot potato?
The remarks sparked intra-alliance tensions, as Kalyan’s public critique of Anitha, a TDP ally, was unprecedented. YSRCP seized the day, with leader RK Roja demanding Anitha’s resignation and Jagan Mohan Reddy accusing Pawan Kalyan of targeting a “woman Dalit minister” to avoid confronting Naidu. However, Anitha took the criticism positively, pledging stronger action against online abuse.
Kalyan’s post-2024 outbursts echo his opposition-era rhetoric, when he frequently used abusive language against YSRCP. On 18 October 2022, at a JSP meeting in Mangalagiri, he reacted to YSRCP’s “package star” jibe, implying he was a paid political actor, by brandishing a chappal and threatening violence.
“If you ever call me package star, I will hit all the YSRCP leaders with my chappal,” he roared. “I can strangle you with a single hand. Let me know if you want to clash with me. Rods, hockey sticks, or bare hands, I am ready. I will skin you all.” The provocative language, challenging YSRCP to a physical confrontation, was among his most direct threats.
On 4 April 2021, at a Tirupati public meeting, Kalyan accused YSRCP of fostering a “reign of terror” in Rayalaseema, challenging their leaders: “Pawan Kalyan is ready for a confrontation with you, leave the people.”
On 25 May 2022, he alleged YSRCP orchestrated violence in Amalapuram over Konaseema’s renaming, claiming it was “pre-planned” to stoke caste divisions, a charge that implied deliberate malice. On 12 May 2024, during his election campaign in Kakinada, he warned against re-electing YSRCP, accusing Jagan Mohan Reddy of “criminalizing politics” and noting his legal troubles: “Jagan needs court permission to go abroad as he faces several cases.”
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Speaking from the heart
After the NDA’s landslide victory in June 2024, securing 164 of 175 assembly seats against YSRCP’s 11, he initially showed restraint, focusing on governance as deputy chief minister. However, this moderation was short-lived. His November 2024 outburst and June 2025 threats suggest a reversion to his high-voltage style, driven by emotion and crowd expectations, particularly from his film fans who relish his cinematic bravado.
While YSRCP leaders were equally abusive during their tenure, targeting JSP and TDP, Kalyan’s position in government demands greater restraint, as his “intemperate outbursts” risk being mistaken for official intent and policy line.
Kalyan’s defenders, however, see his rhetoric as a necessary counter to YSRCP’s provocations. JSP spokesperson and his brother K. Nagababu argued, “Pawan speaks from the heart, addressing real issues like YSRCP’s trolling and past misrule. His warnings ensure accountability.”
Kalyan’s continued use of abusive and threatening language against YSRCP, even after assuming power in June 2024, reflects his reluctance for a transformation. From the chappal-wielding threats of 2022 to the “break your legs” warning in 2025, his rhetoric remains a double-edged sword: galvanising supporters but risking governance credibility.
As Andhra Pradesh navigates its post-YSRCP era, it is felt that Kalyan should balance his emotive style with the restraint expected of a deputy chief minister, lest his words should overshadow the NDA’s achievements.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).