Pawan Kalyan, who is a close political ally of Chandrababu Naidu, was conspicuously absent from Tarakaratna's funeral, leading to speculation on social media about the reason for his absence.
While some posts claimed he was unwell, others noted the absence of other allies like Nagababu and Nadendla Manohar. Notably, Pawan Kalyan has not even posted a condolence message on social media.
These developments have led to the perception that Pawan Kalyan is distancing himself from Chandrababu Naidu or is possibly negotiating with him on a big issue.
A recent article in Andhra Jyothy suggested that Pawan Kalyan had been offered Rs 1000 Cr by BRS to campaign for their party in Telangana, which could enable him to contest independently in Andhra Pradesh without TDP's support.
According to an insider, Pawan Kalyan is confident that his party is better than TDP, and he believes he would benefit from fighting alone rather than in alliance with Chandrababu Naidu.
If this were to happen, Pawan Kalyan would be the first to backstab Chandrababu Naidu, who is known for his own history of backstabbing.
The alleged Rs 1000 Cr deal seems to be true, given the series of events that have transpired.
First, Pawan Kalyan has not denied the news, and second, his absence from Tarakaratna's funeral has added to speculation about his relationship with Chandrababu Naidu.