In the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly, popular Tollywood actor and TDP MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna stirred up a major controversy by calling former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy a “psycho.” The fiery remarks, made during a debate on Thursday, quickly drew sharp backlash from the opposition YSR Congress Party and even involved megastar Chiranjeevi.
The drama unfolded when BJP MLA Kamineni Srinivas accused the YSRCP government of ignoring Tollywood stars. He claimed Jagan Mohan Reddy refused meetings with film industry leaders until Chiranjeevi spoke up during a visit to the CM’s residence. Balakrishna jumped in to call this “false,” defending the former CM while using the derogatory term. He added that Jagan had suggested the delegation meet the Cinematography Minister instead.
Balakrishna, who represents Hindupur and is Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s brother-in-law, didn’t stop there. He vented frustration at Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh from the Jana Sena Party, complaining that his name appeared ninth on a recent invitation list from the Film Development Corporation for industry discussions. This jab highlighted tensions in the ruling TDP-Jana Sena-BJP coalition, especially since Durgesh’s party is led by Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, Chiranjeevi’s brother.
Chiranjeevi wasted no time responding. The megastar clarified that Jagan had personally invited him to lunch, where he discussed Tollywood’s challenges amid COVID-19 restrictions. “We explained the issues, and the meeting went smoothly with a 10-member delegation,” Chiranjeevi said. He even revealed trying to reach Balakrishna to join but couldn’t get through. Chiranjeevi took credit for pushing through higher cinema ticket rates, crediting his efforts during that cordial talk.
The YSR Congress Party hit back hard, condemning Balakrishna’s language as abusive and out of line. Former MP Bharat Margani called it unacceptable in the assembly. MLC Tumati Madhava Rao saw it as proof of cracks in the TDP-led coalition, urging Balakrishna to settle internal disputes without dragging Jagan into them. YSRCP General Secretary Jupudi Prabhakar flipped the script, labeling Balakrishna the real “psycho” and mocking his past, including a mental health certificate from a 2016 firing incident. He suggested Balakrishna’s outburst came from feeling sidelined by Naidu and Kalyan in the government.
This clash underscores ongoing political rivalries in Andhra Pradesh, blending Tollywood glamour with heated assembly debates on film industry issues.
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