If the reports circulating within Telugu Desam Party (TDP) circles are to be believed, former Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas, popularly known as Kesineni Nani, is reportedly interested in rejoining the TDP after a brief political hiatus.
Kesineni Nani, a two-time MP from the TDP, resigned from the party ahead of the last general elections after realizing he would not be given the party ticket to contest again.
Even before his resignation, he had been making anti-party statements, apparently upset with the TDP leadership for promoting his younger brother, Kesineni Shivanath, also known as Chinni.
Eventually, after Nani quit the TDP, the Vijayawada MP ticket was allotted to Chinni, who went on to decisively win the seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — defeating his brother.
Following his defeat, Kesineni Nani announced his retirement from politics and has since been focused on other business ventures.
According to sources, Nani has recently shown signs of wanting to return to active politics and rejoin the TDP. Although he had previously denied such speculation, sources claim he has been sending feelers to the party leadership.
After defecting to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Nani had openly criticized TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh. However, he has maintained a low profile since his electoral loss.
Responding to the speculation, Kesineni Chinni told reporters in Tirupati on Thursday that the party has been selective in re-inducting leaders who had previously left.
He said that all alliance partners are currently united on a common platform and that a special committee has been formed to oversee the inclusion of leaders from other parties.
Chinni added that the committee has decided not to readmit anyone who had strongly criticized Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan, or Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past — a category that includes Kesineni Nani.
He emphasized that unless a person falls outside this exclusion criteria, they will not be taken back into the party. However, the final decision rests with the committee, he said.
