Has the High Command’s meeting turned into a petty affair?

Tiruvuru MLA Kollikapudi Srinivasa Rao’s bold statements have sparked a major political storm within the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), especially in the Krishna district. Kollikapudi openly accused Kesineni Chinni, who was sent to Parliament with the support of Chandrababu Naidu and his team, of being involved in various financial irregularities and frauds. His strong allegations, made publicly in front of the media, have caused deep divisions within the party and embarrassed its image. In response, the TDP high command tried to mediate between the two leaders to resolve the dispute. However, many feel the party’s intervention looked more like a superficial compromise rather than a fair and balanced decision.

The conflict between Kollikapudi and Kesineni had been brewing for a long time. While Chandrababu Naidu was abroad, the dispute intensified. Reports at the time suggested that Chandrababu had instructed senior party leaders to ignore both leaders due to their public spat. Yet, ignoring those earlier directions, the disciplinary committee summoned both of them to a meeting on Tuesday. Party insiders say that even this meeting was poorly handled and lacked transparency. According to reports, Kollikapudi Srinivasa Rao was called at 10 a.m. and questioned for nearly four hours, while Kesineni Chinni arrived in the evening, spoke for just 20 minutes, and left, praising Chandrababu Naidu as his “god” and calling the party “divine.”

Observers feel that talking to the two leaders separately would not solve the issue. A more meaningful step would have been to bring them together and settle the matter face-to-face, as Chandrababu had done in similar situations before. While Kollikapudi stated that he would remain loyal to the party, Kesineni appeared to play it diplomatically with his devotional tone. Party circles now believe that if the high command sides with Kesineni, it would appear as though his flattery had worked. Many within the TDP suggest that the leadership should have held a joint discussion to settle the matter once and for all and avoid giving critics a chance to accuse the party of favoritism.