After being out of public sight for almost a year, YSRCP leader and former minister Kodali Nani returned to his native place, Gudivada. It is his first public outing in the constituency since the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls, in which he lost for the first time as a politician.
Kodali Nani, a vocal and popular Gudivada figure, never remained out of his constituency for such a long period. His absence was given special attention because it came at a time of a turning point in the state’s politics when the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) again formed the government.
The last that Nani was spotted in Gudivada was on June 4, 2024, when the election results were announced. He was caught leaving the counting center — an image that lingered in people’s minds. His sighting had been restricted to a couple of party review meetings organized by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at Tadepalli ever since, with nothing meaningful political or public on his part.
In the last year, there were reports that Nani was staying primarily in Hyderabad and Vijayawada and keeping a low profile. Known for his fierce criticism attacking on TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh while in power, it was widespread speculation that Nani would be in the sights of law enforcement after the change of government.
But sources close to the ex-minister made it clear that his low key was more about health issues. A few months ago, he apparently had cardiac problems and was operated on for bypass surgery and received medical care in Hyderabad as well as Mumbai. He has since been focusing on recovery and keeping away from political activities.
On Friday, Kodali Nani came to Gudivada to visit a hearing at the local court, as part of a pending case. The case is an alleged attack on a cloth showroom belonging to Ravi Venkateswara Rao, the current Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Warehousing Corporation. Nani had earlier approached the High Court for anticipatory bail, which instructed him to approach the lower court. Following the court’s advice, he submitted the required documents and sureties.
In relation to the same incident, 16 of Nani’s followers are already out on bail. During the investigation, a few reportedly claimed that they acted on Nani’s instructions. As he made his court appearance, Nani was seen wearing a medical chest support belt — a standard precautionary measure after undergoing heart surgery.