Kesineni Sirinivas (also known as Nani), a two-time member of the Lok Sabha from Vijayawada, has made headlines again in the local media once more by criticising the high command of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). He won the Lok Sabha seat twice on TDP ticket, in 2014 and 2019. On Thursday, June 8 speaking to the media, the prominent dissident leader stated that he would contest independently if the party did not choose to field him again in Vijayawada.
Revealing he had not attended the recent Mahanadu of TDP because he had not been invited in the first place and added, tongue-in-cheek, “I learnt that I was kept out because I did not have anything to contribute and my constituency issues were taken care of by another MP.” Mahanadu is an annual event where the party leaders from all over the state, including ground level cadres, meet and chalk out political strategies.
When the 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, “People of Vijayawada are happy with me. I can contest independently too. People are important to me.”
When Nani successfully ran for the MP seat a second time, he had sought the parliamentary party floor leader position, but Guntur MP Galla Jayadev was chosen over him. The decision upset Nani no end. It may also be mentioned here that his 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.
Speaking to TNM, a TDP leader indicated the mood in the high command was against Nani -- "It’s true Kesineni Chinna and Nani are estranged, and Nani doesn't like that the latter joined the TDP. But Chinni will undoubtedly be considered for an Assembly or Lok Sabha seat.”
The Kesineni family were into the travel business earlier and once possessed 180 buses. However, the business was shut down in 2018.
Nani still has a lot of political muscle, it may be noted, and cannot be easily brushed aside. Earlier during the 2021 Vijayawada municipal elections, all 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,” said the TDP party member who preferred to remain anonymous. He added, “TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu is watching the scenario in Vijayawada closely.”