New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday compared the rise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and the challenges that he himself faces in Andhra Pradesh politics despite enjoying massive popularity as a film star.
Speaking at an event, Pawan Kalyan said Vijay’s fans in Tamil Nadu had united politically and helped him become Chief Minister, while fan bases in Andhra Pradesh often remain divided along caste and party lines.
“In Tamil Nadu, his fans came together and he became CM. Here, our fans may like me, but when it comes to cinema, they get divided by castes and political parties. There is no single opinion here,” he said.
Using a metaphor to describe his own political struggle, the Jana Sena Party chief added, “In such a situation, reaching this position is like a small plant breaking through a mountain and growing upward.”
He added a dash of humour saying he felt “jealous” of the Tamil Nadu CM. “I look at Tamil politics these days, they’ve done it so carefree. I felt jealous. They won using cutouts and holograms happily. I roamed on the streets for 15 years but…(laughs). I am joking,” Pawan said. Further praising Vijay, he added, “But we do need to think humanely. You need so much knowledge to say anything. Why did I struggle so much for 15 years? Because to run a party you need to understand the expectations of lakhs of people.”
The comments come at a time when comparisons between Vijay and Pawan Kalyan have intensified across social media following Vijay’s dramatic electoral rise in Tamil Nadu. Vijay’s TVK emerged as the single largest party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, ending decades of dominance by the DMK and AIADMK and eventually forming the government with alliance support.
Pawan Kalyan’s remarks may reflect the continuing influence of caste equations in Andhra Pradesh politics, where electoral loyalties are often fragmented across regional and community identities. Tamil Nadu politics, despite also having caste dynamics, has historically witnessed stronger personality-driven mobilisation around film stars such as MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.
Pawan Kalyan, who currently serves as Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister in the NDA government, has in recent months sought to energise his cadre by emphasising “atma gauravam” or self-respect politics within the Jana Sena movement.
