One of the major criticisms leveled against Jana Sena Party president and current Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan over the past decade has been his perceived lack of seriousness in politics.
Since founding the Jana Sena Party in March 2014, Pawan Kalyan has been sporadic in his political engagement.
He would occasionally appear in public, deliver fiery and passionate speeches, and then retreat from the political scene for months.
He made little effort to build the party’s organizational structure from the grassroots level, relying instead on a handful of close associates. It was only in the run-up to the recent Assembly elections that he became more visibly active in politics.
Thanks to the alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Jana Sena secured a significant number of MLA and MP seats, achieving a 100% strike rate. Since then, Pawan Kalyan has been viewed as a full-fledged politician.
However, even after assuming power and becoming Deputy Chief Minister, there remains a perception that Pawan Kalyan is not fully committed to his role.
Initially, he showed promise — regularly attending meetings at the State Secretariat and taking interest in understanding the administrative functions of his departments.
But in recent months, he appears to have reverted to his old pattern.
He has been skipping key review meetings chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, including conferences with district collectors and superintendents of police. He has even missed cabinet meetings on a couple of occasions.
His attendance during Assembly sessions has also been inconsistent. He would participate briefly — just enough to answer questions or contribute to debates related to his portfolios — before quietly exiting the House.
During the recent Budget Session, despite holding crucial portfolios such as Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, and Forests, Pawan Kalyan attended only a few days. His absence led to the postponement of several key questions related to his departments.
Party sources claim that he has been suffering from back pain and has been advised by doctors to avoid overexertion. Yet, he actively participated in the Jana Sena Foundation Day celebrations in Pithapuram and even gave a media interview to a Tamil news outlet.
On Tuesday, his absence from a crucial collectors’ meeting chaired by the Chief Minister sparked renewed discussion. A seat had been reserved for him next to Naidu, but it remained empty, with Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad occupying the adjacent seat.
His tendency to skip official government meetings while attending personal or party events has once again raised doubts about his commitment to governance.
If he continues this way, it raises a valid question: how does he expect to be seen as a serious contender for the Chief Minister’s post in the future?