Pawan Kalyan was under pressure: Jayaprakash Narayan

Loksatta Party national president Jayaprakash Narayan Wednesday said actor Pawan Kalyan was under pressure when he took the decision not to campaign for him in Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency.

"I can understand the pressures and influences Pawan was subjected to and the agonizing dilemma he had to contend with," said the bureaucrat-turned-politician.

Earlier in the day, the Telugu actor said he would campaign only for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates. He announced the decision after Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu called on him.

The TDP, which is contesting the elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has fielded candidate from Malkajgiri constituency, located on the periphery of Hyderabad.

JP, as the Loksatta chief is popularly known, said Pawan had originally thought of contesting from Malkajgiri but dropped his idea later deeming him (JP) as the right candidate. He then openly expressed support and offered to campaign for him.

The Loksatta president said he was moved by Pawan's gesture. "Pawan is a sincere and guileless person who is burning with a desire for the development of Telugu people and the country. I can understand his compulsions and pressures."

JP said he sent an SMS to Pawan that his decision would not harm their friendship and mutual regard.

Pawan, who recently launched political party Jana Sena, has declared support to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and shared the dais with the Gujarat chief minister and Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad Tuesday.