Chandrababu Warns Against Fueling Andhra-Telangana Tensions Again

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has condemned recent criticism directed at Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan by some Telangana leaders, cautioning against reviving regional divisions more than a decade after the bifurcation of the two states.

Speaking amid a war of words between Pawan Kalyan and BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao Naidu said political leaders have every democratic right to campaign anywhere in the country. He stressed that electoral competition should focus on governance and development rather than creating tensions between states.

Naidu said attempts to stir regional sentiments 12 years after bifurcation are unnecessary and warned that such rhetoric could create avoidable friction . He also noted that leaders across India routinely campaigned outside their home states and pointed out that the BRS itself had previously sought to expand beyond Telangana.

Referring to the wider Telugu community , Naidu said Telugu-speaking people have achieved leadership positions across the world, proving that public service and capability not regional identity determine political acceptance.

The controversy began after Pawan Kalyan questioned remarks by certain Telangana politicians regarding his political activities in Hyderabad . He argued that no individual or group has the authority to stop him from entering the city and reiterated his dissatisfaction with the manner in which Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated in 2014.

Responding to those remarks, K. T. Rama Rao said Telangana belongs to its people and emphasized that residents from Andhra Pradesh have lived and worked in the state without discrimination. He added that while the two states are politically separate, their people should continue to share strong cultural and social ties.

The exchange has reignited debate over regional identity and interstate politics, drawing attention to the evolving relationship between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.