It has been a long time since one has heard about senior TDP leader and MLA from Uravakonda assembly constituency in Anantapur district Payyavula Kesav.
Though he used to claim to be a hardcore loyalist of TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, he has hardly been seen or heard in the party circles ever since the TDP lost power to YSR Congress party in 2019.
At a time when the party is undergoing a turbulent time with the YSRC targeting Naidu, his son Lokesh and other leaders like K Atchan Naidu, Kollu Ravindra and others, there has not been a single word from Kesav criticising the ruling party.
Even in the teleconferences or video conferences, Kesav has not been visible much. Sources said Kesav is said to be busy with his business activities in Anantapur and Bengaluru and is not able to concentrate on the party works.
There are also allegations that Kesav has been getting his works done with the help of ruling YSRC leaders.
“He knows how to hoodwink Naidu and make him believe that he is loyal to the party. But when his services are needed, he is nowhere to be seen,” a TDP leader said.
For the record sake, Kesav has the dubious distinction of always being an opposition MLA. He got elected from Uravakonda in 2004, 2009 and 2019, but on all these three occasions, the TDP lost power. In 1999 and 2014, the TDP came to power, but Kesav lost the polls.
Yet, Naidu made him MLC after he lost the elections in 2014, but Kesav has not been displaying the loyalty towards the party, say TDP sources.
