Balakrishna's "Psycho" Remark About Former CM Jagan Sparks Controversy; Chiranjeevi Issues Clarification

Bengaluru:

Actor-turned-politician and TDP MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna sparked a new controversy with his comments in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, referring to former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as a "psycho".

Mr Balakrishna's controversial remarks came in response to BJP MLA Kamineni Srinivas, who had suggested that Mr Reddy met with film industry representatives only because megastar Chiranjeevi had "insisted".

Mr Balakrishna strongly refuted this claim. "It is a complete lie that Jagan came down because Chiranjeevi insisted. No one insisted there," he stated. He further mentioned that he had received an invitation to meet the "psycho" but declined to attend.

In the aftermath of these controversial statements, Chiranjeevi released a statement to address the situation and respond to Mr Balakrishna's assertions.

"My conduct is based on mutual respect," Chiranjeevi declared, emphasizing that he treats everyone respectfully, whether they are a Chief Minister or an ordinary citizen. He clarified that Mr Reddy had received him cordially and stated that "it is completely false that Jagan came down because I spoke forcefully."

Chiranjeevi explained that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss film industry concerns, as producers and directors had approached him for assistance. He and a delegation had visited the former Chief Minister at his invitation.

Chiranjeevi also disclosed that he had personally telephoned Mr Balakrishna to invite him to join the meeting, but Mr Balakrishna was unavailable at that time.

The respected actor-politician noted that he made this statement because his name was mentioned in the assembly, and he felt obligated to provide the public with accurate information. He emphasized his commitment to avoiding personal attacks and maintaining dignified conduct.