Andhra Pradesh’s leading travel agency, Kesineni Travels, owned by a Telugu Desam Party (TDP), MP Kesineni Venkateswara Rao alias Nani, has shut down its operations, following a tiff with a bureaucrat last month.
All the 170 luxury buses of the 88-year-old Kesineni Travels, came to a halt and also put all its buses, owned by him for sale immediately. Its offices in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were even closed down.
While advanced booking was stopped since last week, the nationwide services have been stopped since Friday midnight.
The staff of Kesineni Travels went on an agitation, at several places as their salaries had not been disbursed.
The MP shut down the company, to protest, over the alleged illegal operations of travel operators, registered in other states, and had heated arguments with the commissioner, Bala Subrahmanyam.
Despite AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's efforts to dissuade him, Nani went ahead with his decision.
The MP wanted to declare his decision, at a news conference, on March 31, but the TDP chief asked him to cancel it and called him for talks.
Recently, Nani had threatened to close down his business as he was upset at being forced to apologize to Transport Commissioner Bala Subrahmanyam, by Naidu.
The MP alleged that, around 400 private buses were operating across the state without permits, due to the “corrupt” practices of transport officials. He sought immediate seizure of private buses operating without permits.
Nani alleged that, “Around 150 buses which belong to Orange Travels are operating in Vijayawada and around 400 buses are operating across the state. Owner of Orange travels, Sunil Reddy, is a “benami”(proxy) of YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy. He is influencing transport department officials by offering bribes.
The Transport Commissioner, Subramanyam denied the allegations and said every bus was paying taxes to the Transport Department and operating with a permit.
However, sources claim that the decision of Kesineni, is not purely emotional, but has been strategically planned. Nani is looking at expanding cargo business, which he feels is more flourishing.
While, other sources quote saying, “The MP is upset over repeated accusations that the private travels mafia is pulling the strings. So, he has decided to quit the transport business with a sole objective that his business interests should not bring disgrace to the party (TDP).”
Nani started his political life by entering Praja Rajyam as a TDP covert, and later shifted to the TDP.
He reportedly spent around Rs 25 crore for Chandrababu's Padayatra and another Rs 75 crore for getting elected.
Transport Commissioner Bala Subrahmanyam also did not allow any illegal activities of Nani's buses. Faced with mounting debts, Nani has finally shut his business.
By Supraja
