The big question is: Who is Nandamuri Balakrishna angry with? What did he say in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Friday? This has now become a hot topic within the TDP circles. According to party leaders, Balakrishna has been deeply dissatisfied with the leadership of TDP president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for some time. Even before the elections, when Balakrishna was given a place in the TDP Politburo, reports surfaced that he expressed his anger, questioning why he was being given a position that should be given to others. Later, he missed several meetings, and the main reason, according to his close associates, is that he was not given a ministerial post. He has also voiced his dissatisfaction with not being given a key position within the party. Some party leaders also raised doubts about whether Balakrishna behaved this way to express his displeasure publicly.
However, the way Balakrishna conducted himself in the Assembly has led to strong dissatisfaction among party leaders. There are certain traditions and norms in the Assembly, but on Friday, when he spoke, he put his hands in his pockets and spoke as if he was at a private event. TDP leaders have commented that this is not the right manner. Balakrishna also shared that when a list was prepared by the FDC to meet the Chief Minister, his name was placed ninth on the list. He directly asked Minister Kandula Durgesh in the Assembly, "Who prepared this list?" and expressed his anger, asking, "Is this the respect we give to individuals?" According to these remarks, TDP leaders believe that Balakrishna is clearly upset with the government’s approach.
It is well known that Balakrishna referred to YSRCP leader and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as "Psycho" in the Assembly. This was a point frequently used by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in election campaigns and media interactions. During the debate in the Assembly, BJP MLA Kamineni Srinivas countered Jagan's past disrespect towards film personalities, and Balakrishna commented that, unlike others, Chiranjeevi did not speak out against Jagan. Balakrishna claimed that nobody spoke firmly at that time.
Following this, Chiranjeevi issued a statement that turned the issue into a major controversy. In the statement, Chiranjeevi clarified that Jagan never disrespected them and treated them with great respect. Another important point in this issue is that Chiranjeevi’s brother and current Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan, had earlier criticized the ticket price hike. Chiranjeevi, at a meeting, had told Pawan to not get involved in such matters, saying, “Even someone like Chiranjeevi doesn't need to get into this issue.” Pawan Kalyan, at that time, had expressed his disappointment, saying that even when a member of his family offered greetings, no one responded. Now, Chiranjeevi’s different response has become a hot topic. In any case, the comments made by Balakrishna in the Assembly on Friday have put the ruling TDP in a difficult position.