| Kasani Gnaneshwar Mudiraj | |
| Birth Date: | 19 August 1954 |
| Birth Place: | Bachupally |
| Nationality: | Indian |
| Office1: | Member of Legislative Council, Andhra Pradesh |
| Term1: | 2007–2011 |
| Office2: | President of Mana Party |
| Term Start2: | August 2007 |
| Term End2: | 2022 |
| Predecessor2: | Position established |
| Successor2: | Dissolved |
| Office: | 3rd President of Telugu Desam Party |
| 1Blankname: | National President |
| 1Namedata: | N. Chandrababu Naidu |
| Term: | 10 November 2022 - 30 October 2023 |
| Predecessor: | Bakkani Narasimhulu |
| Party: | Bharat Rashtra Samithi |
| Otherparty: | Indian National Congress Mana Party Telugu Desam Party |
| Spouse: | Kasani Chandrakala |
Kasani Gnaneshwar Mudiraj (born 19 August 1954) is an Indian politician,[1] who served as Member of Legislative Council, representing the Indian state Andhra Pradesh from 2007 to 2011. He was appointed as the State President of Telugu Desam Party for the Telangana unit by former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in November 2022.[2] [3]
Kasani Gnaneshwar also serves as the National President of Mudiraj Mahasabha and is often considered a strong leader of the BC community.[4] He was the president of Mana Party, which was founded by him in 2007.[5] [6]
He served as chairman of Ranga Reddy Zila Parishad representing Telugu Desam Party[7] from 2001 to 2006.
In 2007, Gnaneshwar was elected to Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council from the Assembly quota as an independent supported by ten Bharat Rashtra Samithi rebel MLAs.[8]
He resigned from Telugu Desam Party (TDP), following differences with another party leader Tulla Devender Goud.[9] In August 2007, he launched his own political party, named Mana Party,[6] which claims to be representative of over 90 BC castes in Andhra Pradesh.
In 2009, he unsuccessfully contested the assembly election from Quthbullapur constituency, gained 23430 votes[10] for Mana Party. Later, he entered into an alliance with Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party[11] and contested 2009 general election from Chevella (Lok Sabha constituency),[12] received 19996 votes.[13] He is Prajakutami candidate in 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, contesting on the Indian National Congress ticket from Secunderabad (Assembly constituency)[14] [15] and lost the election.[16]
In 2022, he again joined back into the Telugu Desam Party in the presence of the party president and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu.[17] On November 4, 2022, Kasani was appointed as the President of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana unit.[18] He took charge as the president of Telugu Desam Party, Telangana on November 10, 2022.[19]
However again on 30 October 2023, just before the 2023 Telangana polls he resigned from TTDP president post as well as from TDP membership by criticising the decision of TDP supremo Chandra Babu Naidu to not to contest the Telangana polls.
| Tenure | Position held | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–2006 | Chairman, Zila Parishad, Ranga Reddy District | |
| 2007–2011 | Member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council | |
| 1975–1987 | Vice-president, Indian Youth Congress | |
| 1987–1993 | General Secretary, Rangareddy District Youth Congress | |
| 1993 | Treasurer, Ranga Reddy District Congress Committee | |
| 1999 | Vice President, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Backward Classes | |
| 2005 | State Vice President, Telugu Desam Party, Andhra Pradesh | |
| 2007 | National President, Mana Party (India) | |
| 2022–2023 |
He also served as president of Hyderabad Cricket Association[20] and Telangana Kabaddi Association.[21] In April 2017, he was elected as treasurer of All Indian Amateur Kabaddi Federation (AKF).[22] He is serving as the director of International Kabaddi Federation since 2015.[23]