Nani vs Chinni: My brother betrayed TDP, Junior Kesineni contesting from Vijayawada MP seat

Vijayawada: It is going to be a peculiar situation for the voters in the Vijayawada parliamentary constituency to choose between two brothers who are from the same ‘Kesineni’ family.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has fielded Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) against his brother two-time MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) in the Vijayawada parliamentary constituency. Kesineni Nani won as an MP from Vijayawada in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections on TDP ticket.

In January, Kesineni Nani switched sides with the YSRCP, and his brother Kesineni Chinni was given a chance to contest from Vijayawada in the forthcoming elections. A dispute between two brothers who are into business has escalated political tensions in Vijayawada, which is considered to be the political capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Kesineni Chinni is a realtor and CEO of Kesineni Developers, a leading construction company in Hyderabad. In a freewheeling interview with NewsMeter, Kesineni Chinni shared his plans for the development of Vijayawada and the reasons that forced him to take on his brother. Excerpts:

NM: You are facing your brother Kesineni Nani who has been a two-time MP. How are you going to defeat him in the electoral battle?

Chinni: I never had any aspirations to compete with my brother in politics. He had distanced himself from the TDP and never bothered to participate in party programs including Mahanadu. TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu allowed Nani to serve two terms despite several concerns. Nani ought to have been appreciative of the TDP leadership, but instead, he engaged in mudslinging against Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh which is highly unacceptable. People are aware of the adamant attitude of Kesineni Nani towards the TDP leadership. My service-oriented activities and accessibility to the people and cadres are my strategies to defeat my brother in the electoral battle.

NM: Is the TDP cadre supporting you? What is your main strength?

Chinni: In contrast to other political parties, the TDP is a cadre-based party. Every time the TDP faces electoral defeat, it puts out great effort and, with the backing of its cadre, wins back the majority in the subsequent polls. Even though my brother defected to the YSRCP, all the parliamentary constituency cadres in Vijayawada supported me. I feel that the TD leadership and the cadre are my main strengths. They are all attracted to my service-oriented activities being taken out in the constituency after the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have established mobile Anna Canteens in the six Assembly constituencies, which feed over 2,000 people daily, medical camps for dialysis patients, and even the involvement of the BasavaTarakam Cancer Trust in screening the public and providing them with free medication. In addition, job melas were held to give educated youth employment possibilities with logistic companies in Vijayawada and companies from Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

NM: You had backed your brother Kesineni Nani in the 2019 elections. What is the major reason that drove you to enter into politics?

Chinni: Our family benefited both politically and economically with the TDP and Naidu. Kesineni Venkaiah Chowdary, my grandfather, was one of the TDP's founding members. My brother Kesineni Nani treated Naidu with such abhorrent disregard following the 2019 elections that he even mismanaged his political career with his insulting comments.

My brother even insulted TDP leaders and cadres in the state while working with the YSRCP leaders in a covert operation. I then decided to break away from Kesineni Nani and strive for the party's advancement under Naidu's direction. The TD president acknowledged my abilities and decided to nominate me as an MP from the Vijayawada parliamentary constituency, which is regarded as one of the party's home bases.

NM: How do you react to the remarks against you that your political entry forced Kesineni Nani to quit the TDP and join the YSRCP? Is your family supporting you?

Chinni: In the 2019 parliament elections when my brother contested as an MP for the second time and when even his daughter Kesineni Swetha contested in Vijayawada Municipal Corporation elections, I was the man who supported them. After winning as an MP for the second time, Kesineni Nani revolted against Naidu as he gained benefits from the YSRCP. After I decided to enter into politics, it had become a tough task for my brother to go against Naidu. My entire family is committed to bringing Naidu back to power. For them I and my brother are equal. They are canvassing for the TDP’s victory along with my victory.

NM: What are your chances of winning the Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat when six YSRCP MLAs won in the 2019 elections?

Chinni: Undoubtedly, the people of Andhra Pradesh and Vijayawada are tired of the government of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy because of the high rate of unemployment. Businesspeople are the most affected lot during the past five years. Many individuals in Vijayawada are employed as daily wage workers, and the business community serves the majority of the constituency.

Another factor was the public's dissatisfaction with the YSRCP government's arbitrary halting of the continuing construction of the capital of Amaravati, which lies close to Vijayawada. Several industries were affected, especially the unorganized sector, construction workers, and hamalis. After accounting for all of these variables, I am certain that the TDP will win all seven Assembly seats in the upcoming elections, and I will be elected to the legislature with a big majority.

NM: Do you think the minorities will back the TDP-Jana Sena’s alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)? Are there any challenges and advantages for the TDP?

Chinni: The TDP has always been a secular party and aligned with the BJP earlier during 2014 and in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure. We protected the rights of minorities even when we were with the NDA. Most of the people in Andhra Pradesh feel that the TD is a secular party even though it has aligned with the BJP. I don't think the BJP is a religious party and people are well aware that the TDP won’t comprise the rights of the minorities. Our ultimate goal is to develop Andhra Pradesh on all fronts.

Many are aware that the TDP pulled out of the NDA as it didn’t give special category status to the state. Moreover, the NDA’s support is essential for Andhra Pradesh for the completion of the ongoing Polavaram Irrigation Project and the construction of Amaravati's capital city. That’s why the TDP joined the NDA. Even now we are with the NDA and will not compromise for the rights of the minorities.

NM: Do you have any specific plans for the development of Vijayawada?

Chinni: For the TDP and the NDA government, Vijayawada's development is their main focus. The unorganized sector, construction workers, and the automobile industry are the groups whose living conditions I aim to raise. Jawahar Auto Nagar, one of the biggest in Asia, employs almost a lakh people directly or indirectly, and for the workforce to stay up to date with technical advancements in the industry, worker skill enhancement is critically needed. Initiatives to build training facilities and skill centers for construction workers to improve their employment prospects are being considered. I am also ready to deal with concerns including irrigation issues, infrastructure development, and water scarcity in several constituencies under the Vijayawada parliament.

Vijayawada Parliamentary Constituency has seven Assembly constituencies:

• Vijayawada East
• Vijayawada West
• Vijayawada Central
• Nandigama
• Jaggayyapeta
• Tiruvuru
• Mylavaram