Pawan Kalyan–Chandrababu Naidu Fallout Imminent? TDP Govt to Reopen Tuni Arson Case
In a shocking development, the TDP government has issued an order permitting the public prosecutor to file an appeal in the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the verdict issued by the Vijayawada Railway Court concerning the 2016 Tuni arson incident.
Notably, the railway court had dismissed the case in 2023 and acquitted all 41 accused, including former Minister and Kapu patriarch Mudragada Padmanabham.
Taking strong exception to this move, Kapu leaders have accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of resorting to partisan politics.
The decision to reopen a case that was dismissed two years ago has not only sparked outrage among the Kapu community but also raised serious questions about the alliance between the TDP and JSP.
It is worth noting that Pawan Kalyan, President of the Jana Sena Party and Deputy Chief Minister, belongs to the Kapu community — which holds significant political weight in Andhra Pradesh.
Tuni Arson Incident: A Recap
In 2014, TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu won the election on the key promise of recognizing Kapus as Backward Classes (BCs). However, after assuming power, he failed to fulfill that promise.
Angered by this betrayal, community leaders organized the Kapu Garjana protest on January 31, 2016. Unfortunately, the protest took a violent turn when anti-social elements infiltrated it and set fire to the Ratnachal Express. A police station was also vandalized. Subsequently, hundreds of cases were filed against Kapu leaders.
Following the incident, Pawan Kalyan rushed to Hyderabad from Kerala, where he was shooting for a film. Expressing concern, he supported the argument that anti-social elements had hijacked the protest, stating that a few individuals with basic tools could not have possibly set fire to a train.
While urging Kapu leaders to ensure peaceful demonstrations, he blamed the Chandrababu Naidu government and the police for failing to take preventive measures, despite knowing that a large-scale gathering was underway.
After the YSRCP formed the government, cases against Kapu leaders were withdrawn. In 2023, the Vijayawada Railway Court acquitted all 41 accused in the arson case, citing a lack of evidence.
Chandrababu Naidu – Pawan Kalyan: An Alliance Born of Political Necessity
Formed in 2014, the Jana Sena Party initially extended external support to the TDP without contesting elections. However, the alliance soured over time due to issues such as the TDP’s unfulfilled promise of Kapu reservations, the failure to secure Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh, corruption allegations, and Pawan Kalyan’s growing political ambition.
In 2019, after the YSRCP came to power, Pawan Kalyan allied with the BJP and later re-established ties with the TDP, arguing that anti-YSRCP votes should not be split.
In the 2024 elections, JSP achieved a remarkable 100% strike rate, winning all 21 Assembly and 2 Lok Sabha seats it contested.
However, in the lead-up to the elections, Kapu patriarch Mudragada Padmanabham criticized Pawan Kalyan for aligning with Chandrababu Naidu. He accused Kalyan of exploiting Kapu sentiments for political gain without delivering substantial commitments to their welfare.
Mudragada also warned Kalyan about Naidu’s history of betraying allies and compromising with political opponents.
With the TDP government now initiating legal action to reopen a case that had been closed and dismissed by the judiciary, it appears that Mudragada Padmanabham's warning was not without merit. This development risks not only alienating a key voter bloc but also destabilizing the fragile alliance between the TDP and JSP.
