Kesineni to quit TDP, Lok Sabha

Vijayawada: The war between the Kesineni brothers seems to have reached its peak. Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) has announced that he would quit not only TDP but also resign from Lok Sabha. He said, “I think it is incorrect to continue in the TDP when the TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu felt there is no need of my services to the TDP.”

The two-time MP from Vijayawada (2014 and 2019), Kesineni Nani on Saturday told media that he would speak to his supporters and followers and take a decision on his future course of action. He said he has been thinking to quit politics for two years and that he would abide by the decision of the TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu on his resignation. This statement assumes importance as till Friday he had been claiming that he would contest as independent and win if ticket was not given to him.

Though the TDP so far has not officially said that it would not give ticket to Kesineni Nani, the MP says that he had got clear indications that the party does not require his services anymore and was preferring his brother Kesineni Shivanath (Chinni).

The infighting between Nani and his brother Kesineni Chinni came out openly when their supporters clashed in Tiruvuru recently. Nani’s supporters objected when Chinni’s supporters attended the meeting convened in Tirruvur to discuss the arrangements for the visit of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu on January 7. Both sides clashed with each other. On Friday, a three-member team of TDP asked Nani not to attend Naidu’s meeting at Tiruvuru.

While Nani emerged as a loyal and strong TDP leader in the last 10 years, Chinni has been very active in the party activities for the last three years and is said to have won the confidence of the party chief Naidu. Though Nani maintains good relationship with cadre and people, he is having political rivalry with former MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, former MLC Buddha Venkanna and another leader Nagul Meera.

Meanwhile, TDP Rajya Sabha MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar met Kesineni Nani on Saturday giving rise to speculation that TDP was trying to convince him not to quit Lok Sabha. On the other hand, Kesnenin Chinni said that his brother will attend Tiruvuru meeting. But it is learnt that 90-minute between Nani and Ravindranath did not cut much ice and Nani is certain to resign from Lok Sabha. It is learnt that he told the Rajya Sabha member that he was not attending the Tiruvuru meeting as he does not want a repeat of clash there.