Kesineni Nani to join Telugu Desam

Vijayawada, Feb 19: Stage is set for the former Praja Rajyam Party urban convener,Mr Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) to join the Telugu Desam.

According to sources,Mr Nani is likely to join the Telugu Desam in the next fortnight.The TD president and former chief minister,Mr N.Chandrababu Naidu, had already given green signal for the entry of Mr Nani into the party.

Mr Nani,who was close to several Telugu Desam leaders,including former Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C.Balayogi,joined the Chiranjeevi's PRP in early December 2008 and was made the party urban convener.However,he could not continue in the party for long,as the Kapu leaders of the party, began to push him aside.He started to feel uncomfortable in the party,particularly with the entry of the Vijayawada East Congress MLA,Mr Vangaveeti Radha Krishna.

Mr Radha Krishna encouraged the Kapu leaders,including the party Krishna district convener, Ms M.Vijaya Nirmala,to challenge Mr Nani and make way for his exit.It was because of that Mr Vijaya Nirmala had a fight with Mr Nani during the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, which subsequently led to his exit.

Mr Radha Krishna bore grudge against Mr Nani because of the allegation that the latter had helped the TD leaders in the brutal murder of his father,Mr Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga on December 26, 1988.The vehicles used for the murder were allegedly procured by Mr Kesineni Nani.

Having quit the PRP,Mr Nani tried to join the Congress.The Congress leadership too had learned to have offered the Penamaluru Assembly seat for him.However,things took a new turn with the TD leaders, particularly Mr Harikrishna,Mr Yerran Naidu and others prevailing upon Mr Nani and convincing him to join the party.They have also tried to explain to him that the Kammas were not treated well in the Congress and have showed the case of former Minister, Mr Maganti Venkateswara Rao (Babu), who was asked to resign following the defeat of the party in the local body elections in his home turf Denduluru Assembly seat in West Godavari district.

Mr Nani took more than three months to get convinced of the TD as the right place for him and also for every Kamma leader in the State.Finally, he met Mr Chandrababu Naidu, Mr Yerran Naidu and Mr Harikrishna and secured clearance to join the party. He is likely to get the party membership after February 25, when the new moon arrives.

Meanwhile, the fate of the PRP former district convener, Ms Vijaya Nirmala, hangs in balance.The party had removed her from the post following trouble with Mr Kesineni Nani.Now, she is yet to make up her mind on her continuation in the party as she feels that she was humiliated by the leadership."I did not act on my own.But, I was made a victim of the developments.Now, how can I continue in the party," is what she had reportedly told some of the leaders.