Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) has refused the party’s whip post in the Lok Sabha. He urged the party’s national president N. Chandrababu Naidu to appoint “someone who is more capable” for the post.
Thanking Mr. Naidu for offering him the post, Mr. Nani said, “I am not suitable to take up such huge responsibilities.” At a meeting with Mr. Naidu on Tuesday night, he said that the people elected him and that he had their blessings. To serve them would be more satisfying than the post, he said.
The MP’s refusal assumes significance in the wake of reports that Mr. Naidu delayed the decision to offer him the post. Nearly a week ago, Mr. Naidu appointed Srikakulam MP K. Rammohan Naidu as the TDP floor leader in the Lok Sabha and Guntur MP Galla Jayadev as the parliamentary party leader. Mr. Nani, who was the only other MP to be elected, was not given any post at that time. This reportedly upset him.
Sources close to Mr. Nani said that the MP felt it was improper on the part of the party leadership not to announce his post along with that of the others.
After the election results were announced, Mr. Nani has been camping in Delhi to meet Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Nitin Gadkari. He even skipped the Iftar dinner hosted by Mr. Naidu in Vijayawada. There is speculation that Mr. Nani might cross over to the BJP.
