Kesineni Srinivas, also known as Nani, a two-time member of the Lok Sabha from Vijayawada, criticised the high command of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and said that he would contest independently if the party did not field him again in Vijayawada. He revealed that he was not invited to the recent TDP Mahanadu and added that he was kept out because he did not have anything to contribute and his constituency issues were taken care of by another MP. Mahanadu is an annual event where the party leaders from all over the state meet and chalk out political strategies.
When reporters asked him whether the party couldn’t bring itself to expel him or even ask him to leave, he said it was for observers to make necessary inferences. He also insisted that people of Vijayawada are happy with him and that people are important to him. Nani still has a lot of political muscle and cannot be easily brushed aside.
Earlier during the 2021 Vijayawada municipal elections, those deputed to be in charge of the Assembly constituencies in Vijayawada unilaterally announced his daughter as the mayoral candidate. Many leaders in the constituency have been very unhappy with Nani because of his moves at the time. He has as many as 16 MLA candidates ranged against him. The TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu is watching the scenario in Vijayawada closely.
It may also be mentioned here that Nani’s younger brother Kesineni Shivanath, also known as Chinni, has been evincing a sudden interest in politics for a while. He joined the party last year, something that has irked Nani. Shivanath could also be angling for the TDP ticket for Vijayawada next year, it is said, adding to the tension in the region.
The Kesineni family were into the travel business earlier and once possessed 180 buses. However, the business was shut down in 2018.
