Jagan meets Mohan Babu

                                                          
Hyderabad: Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday met senior Telugu film actor and former TDP Rajya Sabha member M Mohan Babu triggering off speculation about the latter joining the YSR Congress.

Mohan Babu, however, told reporters that Jagan visited him as they are relatives. Jagan's cousin is married to Mohan Babu's son.


Mohan Babu had served as member of the Rajya Sabha for TDP and was staying away from active politics for many years.

Mohan Babu, who recently appreciated TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu's work as Chief Minister, had said he would soon decide about his political future.
from zee

Radha is like brother to me: Jagan

                                                                             
VIJAYAWADA: YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy has described Vangaveeti Radhakrishna as his younger brother and said the latter has a place not only in his party but also in his heart.
After garlanding the statue of Vangaveeti Mohanaranga, Jagan said Radhakrishna was like Lakshamana to me. We are friends as were my father and his father. And that friendship will be broght back.

Hyd: Film actor Mohan Babu to join Jagan's YSR Congress?

                                                                                 
Hyderabad, Apr 29: Kadapa MP and YSR Congress leader, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday met film actor and former TDP leader Rajya Sabha member M Mohan Babu raising speculations that the latter is all set is join YSR Congress.

The actor however, said that the purpose of Jagan's meeting was personal as they are relatives.

Mohan Babu recently said that he would decide about his foray into politics in the future.

YSRCP can win at least 15 seats, says Konathala

YSR Congress Party, led by Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, can win at least 15 of the 18 seats in the ensuing by-elections, according to the party's top leader in north Andhra, former Minister Konathala Ramakrishna.

“We may have some tough fight in Anantapur district but elsewhere we expect easy passage,” he told The Hindu on Saturday.

On reports of candidates having been rendered weak due to failure to keep in touch constantly with the people who voted for their success in the 2009 elections, Mr. Ramakrishna said that the name of Jagan was like a mantra which the people chanted and were attracted by the young leader wherever he went, notwithstanding the adverse publicity in the media. This would certainly make up for everything, and the strength of the individual candidates in such a case might not really matter, he felt, adding that the party was particularly strong in north Andhra where the late YSR had tremendous following.

Also, the poll managers would take care of every aspect during the campaign as they are entrusted with the responsibility of successful return of the party candidates, he pointed out. “We have the people's sympathy and support. We may not encounter any problem even where the Congress party and the Telugu Desam joined hands as is the case in some areas,” he remarked. Retention of the seats in the by-elections would go a long way for the party's success in the general elections, he added.

from hindu

Vamsi’s Jagan embrace prompts notice

                                                                
Telugu Desam (Vijayawada, Urban) president Vallabhneni Vamsi’s public embrace of YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in Vijayawada on Friday has left his party higher-ups irate and prompted a show-cause notice. TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu issued the show-cause notice on Saturday, asking for an explanation.
Mr Vamsi’s embrace came at a time when the TD was attacking the Kadapa MP tooth and nail for various sins of omission and commission. The notice stated that the TD has been fighting former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s ‘corruption and murder’ politics. “Your action will send a wrong message,” the notice said.
Meanwhile, Mr Vamsi denied that he received a show-cause notice and said his meeting with Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy was not pre-planned. However, the incident sent shockwaves through the TD, amid reports of an imminent floor crossing by some leaders.

YSRCP can win at least 15 seats, says Konathala

                                                                

YSR Congress Party, led by Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, can win at least 15 of the 18 seats in the ensuing by-elections, according to the party's top leader in north Andhra, former Minister Konathala Ramakrishna.

“We may have some tough fight in Anantapur district but elsewhere we expect easy passage,” he told The Hindu on Saturday.

On reports of candidates having been rendered weak due to failure to keep in touch constantly with the people who voted for their success in the 2009 elections, Mr. Ramakrishna said that the name of Jagan was like a mantra which the people chanted and were attracted by the young leader wherever he went, notwithstanding the adverse publicity in the media. This would certainly make up for everything, and the strength of the individual candidates in such a case might not really matter, he felt, adding that the party was particularly strong in north Andhra where the late YSR had tremendous following.

Also, the poll managers would take care of every aspect during the campaign as they are entrusted with the responsibility of successful return of the party candidates, he pointed out. “We have the people's sympathy and support. We may not encounter any problem even where the Congress party and the Telugu Desam joined hands as is the case in some areas,” he remarked. Retention of the seats in the by-elections would go a long way for the party's success in the general elections, he added.

 from  Hindu

Appointed to YSRC women's wing

M.S. Lakshmi Chakravarti was appointed Rajahmundry city YSR Congress party women's wing president by the party.

Ms. Lakshmi is wife of former Mayor MS Chakravarti and daughter of freedom fighter Battina Subbarao.

She has been working for YSR Congress Party since its inception.

YSR Congress leader slams Naidu

                                                                  

MLC and YSR Congress leader S.V. Mohan Reddy flayed TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu for his remarks against Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

Talking to reporters here on Saturday, he said Mr. Naidu who failed in his attempt to paint Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy dark by leveling corruption charges started criminal accusations now. He said people would not give any credence to his utterances and would stand by Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, who was fighting ‘multiple enemies'.

from Hindu

Vangaveeti Radhakrishna joins YSRCP

                                                                       

Former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna joined the YSR Congress Party amidst tremendous bonhomie and enthusiasm. Party president and Kadapa MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy welcomed him with unexpected warmth.

Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said that he was not just taking Mr. Radhakrishna into the party, but was looking up to him for support as a brother, just like Rama and Lakshmana. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said that his father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Mr. Radhakrishna's father Mohana Ranga Rao were good friends and shared a brotherhood and the same would continue between the sons.

Mr. Radhakrishna and Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy earlier came from Enikepadu in a huge motorcade of over 2,000 two-wheelers and several cars. Youth participated with enthusiasm wearing different types of masks and wigs.

The meeting for Mr. Radhakrishna to join the party was held at the statute of assassinated Congress MLA and his father Mohana Ranga Rao on Mahatma Gandhi Road as announced earlier.

Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy garlanded the statute of Mohana Ranga Rao, while Mr. Radhakrishna garlanded a temporary bust of YSR put on the dais for the occasion. After district convenor Samineni Udaya Bhanu formally announced that Mr. Radhakrishna was joining the party, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy put a party scarf round his neck and gave him a warm hug.

Addressing the gathering Mr. Radhakrishna said that YSR gave land to the poor of the city at the nominal rate of Rs. 100 a square yard and that land had today become Rs. 40,000 per square yard. He said that the poor of Vijayawada would never forget YSR.

‘Always loyal'

Mr. Radhakrishna said that he and his father's admirers would be with Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy come what may. He said that 23 years had passed since his father was assassinated, but the people of Vijayawada have been loyal to his family electing his mother Ratnakumari and then him to the State Assembly.

He said that the leaders of Congress may have betrayed YSR's family, but the people were still with them. He said the people of the city were fight for house-site pattas and for the Machilipatnam port.

‘Golden era'

Responding to him, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said that a ‘golden era' was coming. His father gave land to the people at Rs. 100 per square yard, but he would give them land at Rs. 50 per square yard. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said that once the YSR Congress comes to power it would complete the Machilipatnam port in two years.

Former corporators Adbul Khadar, Buddha Jagannatham, Avala Maruthi, PCC secretary G Mallikarjuna Raju, more Congress leaders, Badita Sankar Lokesh, Vaddi Vasu, BJP State committee member B.Nagalakshmi and TDP city leader Kama Devaraju joined the party along with Mr. Radhakrishna.

from hindu

Krishnam Raju to Join YSRC

                                                                                 
The actor-turned-politician who has unsuccessfully contested as PRP candidate to Lok Sabha from Rajahmundry has been keeping away from politics ever since. It is learnt that he is likely to join the YSR Congress and lead the party’s campaign in the pockets of his influence in the ensuing general elections. Talking to the media at Mogalturu, his native village in West Godavari district, Krishnam Raju has said he would be contesting during the 2014 elections.
Krishnam Raju has  talked to his supporters in Mogalturu on Wednesday where he has announced his decision to re-enter active politics. He told them that looking at the problems faced by the people, he was inclined to once again play an active role in politics.  He has announced that he would be contesting in the next general elections.
It is learnt that Krishnam Raju has decided to join the Jagan bandwagon and has also agreed to ensure the victory of his candidates in the district and the neighboring East Godavari. It is learnt that he has already spoken to his supporters and former BJP and PRP leaders close to him about the prospects of the victory of YSRC candidates in Kakinada (East Godavari) and Narsapuram (West Godavari) constituencies.

Parties focus on Kadapa bypolls

Byelections to be conducted for three Assembly constituencies — Rayachoti, Rajampet and Railway Kodur — on June 12 are prestigious for the Congress, Telugu Desam and YSR Congress. Even though all three parties have selected their candidates, they are yet to officially announce them.
Mr G. Srikanth Reddy (Rayachoti), Mr A. Amarnath Reddy (Raja-mpet) and Mr K. Srini-vasulu (Railway Kodur), who resigned as MLAs will contest from the YSR Congress.
The candidature of Mr Ramprasad Reddy (Raya-choti), Mr Meda Mallikar-juna Reddy (Rajampet) and Mr Eswaraiah (Rail-way Kodur) is confirmed on behalf of the Congress.
The names of Mr S. Subrahmanyam (Raya-choti), Mr Brahmaiah (Rajampet) and Mr Ajay Babu (Railway Kodur) were confirmed on behalf of the Telugu Desam. They have launched their campaign though their names are not officially announced.
The Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, has already toured the district once. The PCC president, Mr Botsa Satyanarayana, and the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, have toured the three constituencies. The YSR Congress president, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, wants to repeat his huge success in Kadapa and Pulivendula bypolls in the present bypolls.
Mr Naidu is striving hard to get a hold in the district and urging party cadre to work hard, setting aside differences. The TD chief will again tour the district on Friday and Saturday. The minister, Dr D.L. Ravindra Reddy, who has already anno-unced that he would keep away from the bypoll campaign, stuck to his word. He also skipped the Chief Minister’s recent tour to the district. Party leaders pacified sulking Rajampet MP A. Sai Pratap and ensured that he took part in the campaign. DCC president M. Ashok is formulating a strategy for the bypoll campaign.
from dc

All in family for Dharmana

                                                                    
As the Election Commiss-ion announced byelections for 17 Assembly seats and one parliamentary segme-nt across the state, battle lines were drawn in Nars-annapeta coming under Srikakulam and Payakara-opeta in Vizag districts.
It has become a prestigious affair for all three political parties. While a tight fight is expected bet-ween candidates of the Congress and YSRC in Narasannapeta, it will be a three pronged fight betwe-en the TD, YSRC and Cong-ress in Payakaraopeta.
Minster Mr Dharmana Prasad Rao’s brother Dharmana Krishna Das is the YSRC candidate in Narasannapeta, while Vizag district’s Payakaraopeta has always been a strong bastion for the TD. Though it is an all-in-the-family fight in Nar-asannapeta, the Congress candidate’s fate decides the future of Prasad Rao in the party. At both places, the Congress is yet to decide its candidates.
Speculation is rife that Mr Prasad Rao’s elder bro-ther Mr Ram Das is likely to contest against his brother Mr Krishna Das, on the Congress ticket.
Meanwhile, delay in finalising the candidate is likely to dent the winning chances of the ruling Con-gress in Payakaraopeta Assembly constituency in the district.
While the TD and YSRC are well ahead and have finalised their candidates, the Congress is yet to find a winning horse. The TD has already announced its candidate to be former MLA Mr Chengala Venkat Rao and its chief Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu completed his first leg of campaign in the constituency.
YSRC chief and Kadapa MP Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also toured the constituency extensively tw-ice. PCC chief Mr Botsa Satyanarayana and Chief Minister Mr N. Kiran Ku-mar Reddy too visited the constituency on two different occasions recently.
from dc

PCC secretary to join YSRCP

                                                              

There is much anxiety and anticipation in the different political camps here in view of the visit of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to the city on Friday. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy is coming here to invite former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna into the party fold at a programme in front of the statue of assassinated MLA Mohana Ranga Rao.

The names of several Congress leaders, some former corporators in particular, are being heard as probable candidates to join the YSR Congress Party. The Congress leaders are using every trick in the book to keep the flock together.

The YSR Congress leaders are trying hard to lure the disgruntled elements.

PCC secretary Gadda Manikyala Raju has announced that he is joining the YSR Congress Party.

While others have not come out openly, Mr. Raju has announced that he is going to join YSR Congress because he is vexed with the Congress.

At a press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Raju said that he had been an active member of the Indian National Congress for over two decades and had occupied several responsible posts in it. He worked hard for the development of the party and also campaigned for the Congress candidates in Vijayawada Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Mr. Raju said that he was badly hurt when his party did not consider him for any of the nominated posts.

These posts were being filled by the persons unknown to the Congress circles.

Mr. Raju said the targeting of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy “just because his son started his own political party” had also hurt him. He also felt that the Congress was not doing anything for the SCs, the section he belonged to.

Mr. Raju said that he had full confidence in the capacity of former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna to get things done. “Mr Radhakrishna is a fighter and we are confident that he will fight for the demands of the SCs,” Mr. Raju said.

from hindu

 

TDP chief criticises Congress, YSRCP

                                                                          

TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu criticised both the ruling Congress party and YSRCP and said that given the ‘outrageous manner' in which the two parties were conducting themselves with scant respect for public institutions, democratic principles and probity in public life, it would only be a matter of time before they vanished from the political map of the State.

Addressing a public meeting at the Gandhi Junction at Chittoor on Thursday night, Naidu charged that both parties were busy with their ‘murder politics' and ‘mining mafias', unmindful of the woes of the people of the State.

He took a serious exception to the power supply getting snapped as he began to address the meeting.

He claimed that the Congress was envious of TDP and would try to do anything to stop the re-emergence of Telugu Desam.

Dharna incident

He recalled how the government massed up police force at Vizianagaram when he, along with other party cadres, staged a massive dharna against the liquor syndicate of PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana.

Chandrababu Naidu had earlier declared the party office open and called on the family members of N.P. Chdngalraya Naidu and N.P. Jhansi, both former MPs from Chittoor who died recently.

Poll code: YSR statue masked

                                                              

With the election code in force, statues of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy installed at three places in the city have been masked.

Passersby watched with amusement even as the departmental staff climbed up the pedestal of the bronze statues at RDO Office junction, TUDA Circle and Thummalagunta Circle to drape a veil over the face this evening.

This is said to be in tune with the orders clamped by the authorities to veil statues of political leaders and symbols that stand as an icon of any political outfit.

The code came into effect on Wednesday and officials swung into action on Thursday.

The ‘masking' episode emerged as one of the major steps taken by the officialdom as part of ensuring what is termed as a ‘level playing field'.

Meanwhile, YSR Congress Party activists expressed anguish at the officials throwing a veil over the statue of their beloved leader, while leaving the Rajiv Gandhi statue at MCT Circle and NTR Statue at Town Club without a cover.

 from hindu

Calls grow for probe against Jagan after his close aide is convicted in attempt to murder case

                                                                
An Anantapur court in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday sentenced Dantuluri Krishna, alias Mangali Krishna, a close follower of YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, to five years imprisonment in connection with a conspiracy to kill former Telugu Desam Party MLA Paritala Ravindra in 2001.
Along with Krishna, three others -- Ramachandra Reddy, Madhusudhan Reddy and Sudheer Reddy -- were also sentenced to five years imprisonment for plotting to eliminate Paritala by planting a suitcase bomb.
The additional sessions court of Anantapur district quashed the case against another six persons who were also accused in the case. The police arrested Krishna even before the pronouncement of the judgment as per the court orders.
Although the bomb plot failed, Paritala was later shot dead in broad daylight in Anantapur on January 24, 2005, as a result of a faction feud with a dreaded Rayalaseema gangster Gangula Suryanarayana, alias Maddelacheruvu Suri. The faction killings between Paritala and Suri gangs were the central theme of noted film maker Ram Gopal Varma's bilingual movie 'Rakth Charita' made a couple of years ago.
In fact, the CBI had included the name of Jaganmohan Reddy as one of the accused in the FIR while investigating the murder of Paritala. Mail Today carried a report on January 31, 2011, about an internal document of the CBI that revealed the alleged nexus between Jagan and the killers of Paritala.
According to the information gathered by the CBI, Mangali Krishna was the neighbour and front-man of Jaganmohan Reddy in his native town of Pulivendula. At present, he is actively involved in YSR Congress party activities in Pulivendula.
The CBI document further states that Jagan wanted to take revenge against a local Telugu Desam Party leader Parthasarathy Reddy for allegedly killing his grandfather Y S Raja Reddy in May, 1998. Jagan, the CBI document said, took the help of Krishna to eliminate Parthasarathy Reddy.
Krishna, in turn, contacted Suri and his associates to execute the killing. Suri, who was already engaged in a gang war with Paritala, had struck a bargain with Krishna to eliminate Paritala first and then Parthasarathy Reddy. Krishna had extended all financial help to Suri team with the blessings of Jagan, the CBI document said.
In March 2001, Suri's gang planted a suitcase bomb in Dharmavaram in Anantapur district to eliminate Paritala Ravindra, but they could not execute the explosion as he dropped his plan to visit Dharmavaram at the last moment. The police defused the bomb later. Five persons, including Mangali Krishna, were arrested in connection with the suitcase bomb case. Krishna was later released on bail.
After Paritala's murder, the CBI had summoned Mangali Krishna for interrogation again but could not find a link. The TDP leaders alleged that the then chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had influenced the investigation agency to ensure that Jagan's name did not figure in the charge sheet. Ultimately, the CBI had given a clean chit to Jagan.
Interestingly, Mangali Krishna's name surfaced again in connection with the murder of Suri on January 3, 2011. Suri was shot dead by allegedly his own follower Bhanu Kiran on January 3 in Hyderabad. After 15 months, the Andhra CID police managed to arrest Bhanu four days ago. During interrogation, Bhanu confessed that he had done real estate dealings along with Mangali Krishna in Hyderabad and that the latter had given him the weapon to eliminate Suri.
TDP leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu has alleged that Mangali Krishna was the close aide of Jaganmohan Reddy and demanded that the police should reopen the case of Paritala's murder.
Krishna, however, denied the allegations against him. "There is absolutely no evidence with the police about my involvement. Obviously, it is an attempt by the big people in the ruling party who are trying to target me. I am confident that I will come out clean," he told the media in Anantapur.
from india today

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/jagan-ysr-congress-party-attempted-murder-tdp-mla/1/186026.html

Congress struggling to find candidates for bypolls

                                                                    
HYDERABAD: There are no takers in the Congress for tickets for the bypolls. A day after the Election Commission announced that the bypolls to 18 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency would be held on June 12, at least eight candidates shortlisted by PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana have backed out. A desperate Congress high command is now dispatching AICC leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union minister Vayalar Ravi to Hyderabad this week-end to persuade Congress leaders to take on Jaganmohan Reddy's YSR Congress in the bypolls being dubbed as a mini-assembly elections.

PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana had prepared a list of 14 names as ruling party candidates for the bypolls last week. However, Congress sources said many of these were mere probables who are now conveying to the state party bosses that they would prefer not to contest. "Publicly, the leaders are saying that they are backing out because they do not have the Rs 6 to Rs 7 crore needed for bypoll expenditure. However, the reality is that they are of the view that the YSR candidates are very strong and that they do not stand a chance," said party sources.

For example, the Congress had shortlisted Ananta Subba Reddy as its candidate from Anantapur Urban assembly seat. While Subba Reddy is not averse to contesting the polls, his brother and Anantapur MP A Venkatram Reddy is against Subba contesting on the grounds that he would face a humiliating defeat in the hands of sitting legislator and now YSR Congress nominee G Gurnatha Reddy. The Congress is now scouting for a leader from the minority community to be fielded from Anantapur Urban.

From Allagada assembly seat in Kurnool district, the party had shortlisted the name of Gangula Pratap Reddy but on Wednesday, he told the media that he is not keen to contest the bypolls and, in fact, went to the extent of stating that his very continuance in Congress is in doubt.

For the Polavaram ST seat, the Congress had proposed the name of Bojjaiah Dora but on Wednesday, Botsa said they are still scouting for a nominee from this assembly seat. According to the sources, the candidates named for many other assembly seats are still to confirm their candidature while the ruling party does not as yet have a nominee for constituencies like Payakaraopet (SC), Prathipadu (SC), Ongole and Macherla. Similar is the situation in Parakal in Warangal district, the lone assembly segment going to the polls in the Telangana region.

The main reason for the paucity of candidates for the Congress is said to be former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's policy of grooming his protege as the sole leader in each assembly segment. As a result, with the sitting Congress legislators jumping into the Jagan bandwagon, the Congress has no leader of stature left in the 18 constituencies.

For example, in Yemmiganur in Kurnool district, with sitting Congress MLA Y Chennakesava Reddy having joined the Jagan camp, the Congress is falling back on Y Rudra Gowda, a TDP leader who joined the ruling party only three months ago.
from ibn live

Andhra bypolls a do-or-die battle for Congress

                                                                          
The by-elections to 18 State Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh, slated for June 12 will be a do-or-die battle for the ruling Congress party as it faces a tough challenge for the fledgling YSR Congress party of YS Jaganmohan Reddy with main Opposition Telugu Desam Party going all out to benefit from the division of Congress votes.
Such is the political significance of these by-elections that this was being described as “mini general election” or a semi-final in the run up to the 2014 general elections. The outcome of the bypoll will be so important that if the Congress looses all of them or even most of them, there was every likelihood of the State plunging into political instability and the Congress Government further loosening its grip.
While 17 Assembly seats and Nellore Lok Sabha seat fell vacant as the supporters of Jaganmohan Reddy in Congress party either resigned or they were disqualified from the Assembly. The Tirupati Assembly seat was vacated by Chiranjeevi on his elevation to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress party.
Except one seat — Parkal in Telangana district of Warangal — all other seats were in Rayal Seema and Andhra region, which have turned the main battle front between the Congress and YSR Congress.
Jaganmohan Reddy’s party has already become a thorn in the Congress flesh as it has won two Assembly seats —Pulivendula and Kovvur. Jagan himself won Kadapa Lok Sabha seat in a by-election with a record breaking margin. If he continues his winning spree and also bags Nellore Lok Sabha constituency and majority of the Assembly seats, it can trigger off fresh exodus from the Congress party putting a question mark on the future of N Kiran Kumar Reddy Government.
The announcement of the by-election schedule by the Election Commission, scheduling the bypoll on June 12, has come as a big blow to the Congress party which was hoping for a delayed bypoll. While YSR Congress has already announced that all the MLAs who had resigned or disqualified will be its candidate in the by-elections, Congress was finding the choice of candidates difficult because of the group rivalries and many contenders of the ticket.
So far the party was able to shortlist candidates for only 14 seats and they were also yet to nod of the high command. The fact that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and the State Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana do not see eye to eye has only further compounded the woes of the party.
However knowing that if the party loses elections, they will be in real danger of losing their position may force the two top leaders to bury the hatchet for the time being.
The TDP on the other hand was hopeful of benefiting from the fact that the Congress vote bank will now be divided in two parts. The party has decided to make the political instability, policy paralysis and corruption the main issue to target both the Congress and the YSR Congress.
As far as the by-election in lone Telangana Assembly constituency Parkal is concerned, it will be a fight mainly between the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the YSR Congress.

Suitcase bomb case: Four get 5-year jail

                                                                    
Anantapur additional assistant sessions judge Satyavani, sentenced four accused, including Mangali Krishna, to five years imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs.1,000 in the suitcase bomb case here on Wednesday.
Out of 14 accused in the case, three died during trial and one person is absconding. Of the remaining 10 accused, six were acquitted. Mangali Krishna, Dola Ramachandra Reddy, Kottakota Ravindra Reddy and Golla Subbi Reddy were sentenced in the case.
Political rivals had unsuccessfully tried twice to kill former MLA Paritala Ravi with a suitcase bomb in 2001.
Police arrested Obula-pathi alias Chalapathi at NTR Circle near the Anantapur railway station when he was bringing the suitcase bomb from Hyderabad to Anantapur on March 19, 2001.
Based on information given by him, Mangali Krishna, Dola Ramachandra Reddy, Kottakota Ravindra Reddy and Golla Subbi Reddy, coming on another train from Hyderabad, were arrested the same day.
Based on information provided by them, some persons were arrested and some others surrendered.
from dc

Congress in a fix over Udayagiri

Congress leaders are in a dilemma over choosing a candidate for the Udayagiri Assembly seat, where a byelection is also on the cards for the Assembly seat apart from the Parliament election.
Although the Congress got a fillip following the selection of Rajya Sabha member T. Subbarami Red-dy for the Nellore Parlia-ment seat, the party is dillydallying over the candidate for Udayagiri, since any wrong selection will have its impact on vote share to the MP candidate.
As of now, the names of former TD MLA Kambam Vijayarami Reddy, former minister Madala Janakir-am and former ZP chairman P. Chanchalbabu Yad-av are doing the rounds as possible nominees for the Congress.
According to a senior lea-der, most TD cadres and leaders remained with it though Mr Vijayarami Red-dy migrated from it. His failure to bring a single TD leader, where he was a member right from its in-ception has led to reservations over his nomination.
In case of Mr Janakiram, he migrated to the TD from Congress and contested for the Kavali seat against Ms Magunta Parvatamma in 2004. His hip-hopping betw-een the Congress and TD has placed a question mark over his choice.
Although Mr Chanchal-babu Yadav is a Congress loyalist, party leaders consider him a weak candidate. Campaign managers of TSR are in favour of noted industrialist P.V. Prasannakumar Reddy and are putting all their efforts to bring him into the fray.
A close associate and relative of the late Magunta Subbarami Reddy, Mr Prasannakumar Reddy contested for the Nellore Assembly seat unsuccessfully in 1994 against T. Ramesh Reddy. Although he does not stay in Nellore, he ensures that his contacts in the district remain intact.
Recalling that he played a key role from behind the scenes for the success of the late Magunta Subbarami Reddy in politics, sources claim that his presence will benefit party nominees in segments such as Nellore town, rural, Kovur and Kavali since he has a wide network of friends and relatives in these constituencies.
from dc

Former corporators set to join YSRCP

                                                                              

Former corporators of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation representing the Congress and TDP from One Town area have made up their plans to join YSR Congress Party in the presence of Kadapa MP and party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday. Former corporators Abdul Qader, Buddha Jagannatham and Avala Maruthi, Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam ex board member Darisi Vasu and others were some of the leaders who disclosed their plans to media here on Wednesday. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) urban vice president S. Prasad, youth Congress leader M. Srinivas were some others who joined the league. A rally will be taken out from One Town to former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna's house on Friday.

About 500 people on their scooters and motorcycles will take part in the rally, said Mr. Vasu. The rally will proceed to Ramvarappadu covering all major areas.

‘Mini-general election' in A.P. on June 12

                                                                         

Three months after several Congress MLAs were disqualified and crossed over to the YSR Congress, the Election Commission on Tuesday ordered by-elections to be held on June 12 to fill the vacancies to 18 Assembly and the Nellore Lok Sabha constituency.

The formal notification for conducting these by-elections will be issued on May 18 but the model code of conduct came into force with immediate effect in 12 districts where these constituencies lie, pushing the Congress government on the backfoot at a time when it was announcing a spree of sops as part of the ongoing ‘Prajapatham' programme.

These vacancies were caused by the disqualification of 16 Congress and Shobha Nagi Reddy of the erstwhile Praja Rajyam, besides the resignation of K. Chiranjeevi from his Tirupati Assembly seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha on the ruling party's ticket. The Nellore Lok Sabha seat became vacant after Congress MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy resigned in protest against the inclusion of the name of the late YSR in the CBI's charge-sheet in the illegal assets case involving Kadapa MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

The Commission's announcement of the month-long by-election schedule ended weeks of speculation on the possible dates of the by-elections, even though the EC had made it clear that they would be held well before the Presidential elections on June 24. Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal told reporters here that the dates of the Presidential elections, the annual examinations of students, the law and order situation and the climatic conditions were considered while finalising the schedule.

The 18 Assembly constituencies are Narsannapet (Srikakualam district), Payakaraopet (Visakhapatnam), Ramachandrapuram (East Godavari), Narsapur, Polavaram (West Godavari), Prathipadu (SC), Macherla (Guntur), Ongole (Prakasam), Udayagiri (Nellore), Rajampet, Kodur, Rayachoti (Kadapa), Allagadda, Yemmiganur (Kurnool), Rayadurg, Anantapur Urban (Anantapur), Tirupati (Chittoor) and Parkal (Warangal). The lone Lok Sabha seat going for by-polls is Nellore (Nellore).

High stakes

Over 44 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise in what is considered to be the ‘mini-general election' since the 18 Assembly seats span all three regions – Coastal Andhra (nine seats), Rayalaseema (eight) and Telangana (one). Stakes are high for the Congress, which is still licking wounds from its rout in the by-elections in Telangana in March, and equally for the YSR Congress as the disqualified MLAs have to retain their seats. 

from hindu

Political leaders gear up for byelections in Seema

                                                                       
As Election Commission announced that byelections would be conducted on June 12, political leaders in Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool are gearing up for them.
Bypolls would be conducted for two Assembly seats ( Anantapur and Rayadurgam) in Anan-tapur district, three Assembly seats ( Raya-choti, Rajampet and Railway Kodur) in Kadapa district and for two Assembly seats (Allagadda and Yemmiganur) in Kurnool district.
In Anantapur district, selection of candidates was almost completed. However, the Congress and the Telugu Desam are yet to officially announce their candidates for Rayadurgam constituency. Initially, former MLA Kapu Ramachandra Reddy expressed his reluctance to contest from the YSR Congress. However, he agreed to contest as no other candidate is available.
Mr Deepak Reddy from the TD, Mr Patil Venugopal Reddy from the Congress and Mr K. Ramachandra Reddy are likely to be in the fray from the constituency.
In Anantapur constituency, former MLA B. Gurunath Reddy from the YSR Congress, Mr Ananta Subba Reddy from the Congress and Mr Mahalakshmi Srinivas from the TD are likely to contest.
In Kurnool district, Ms Bhuma Sobha Nagi Reddy from YSR Congress and Rampulla Reddy from the TD would contest from Allagadda. The Congress is yet to announce its candidate.
Mr Chennakesava Reddy from the YSR Congress and Mr B.V. Mohana Reddy from the TD would contest from Yemmiga-nur.
The Congress is yet to announce its candidate.
In Kadapa district, the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, launched development works worth Rs.490 works during his three-day tour. The TD president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, also toured the Rayachoti Assembly constituency. The YSR Congress president, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is yet to tour the three Assembly constituencies where bypolls would be conducted.
from dc

YSR Congress indulging in gimmicks, says DCC chief

                                                                                             
The Congress alone can complete the Machilipatnam port. Purification of the port's foundation stone with milk by activists of the YSR Congress Party will not make any difference.

The YSR Congress is resorting to all such gimmicks only for political ends,” District Congress Committee president Naraharisetti Narasimha Rao has said.

In a press release here on Tuesday, Mr. Narasimha Rao said the Machilipatnam port was sanctioned mainly due to the hard work of the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. He said protests and dharna did not amount to development.

It was only after Machilipatnam MLA and Government Whip Perni Venkataramayya threatened to resign, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy held an all-party meeting on compensation to farmers.

Therefore, the demand of YSR Congress leader Samineni Udaya Bhanu that city MP Lagadapati Rajagopal and Minister K. Parthasarathi resign was unjustified.

from hindu

YSRCP welcomes by-elections

                                                                

Welcoming the Election Commission's announcement of the schedule for by-elections to 18 Assembly and one Lok Sabha seat, the YSR Congress Party has expressed the confidence that it will the elections.

“Keeping up the tradition of maintaining a full electoral college before the Presidential polls, the EC has announced the schedule and we welcome the June 12 by-polls,” party spokesperson Ambati Rambabu said.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Mr. Rambabu said the government's desperation to release Rs. 100 crore to all the 18 constituencies going to polls from the CM's fund would come to a nought due to the poll code. “The ill-intention of the State government to split the funds by allotting it to smaller works of less than Rs. five lakh will not be grounded now,” he pointed out.

YSR Congress leadership is ahead in terms of campaign with its president Y .S. Jaganmohan Reddy already extensively touring the constituencies. By undertaking ‘Odarpu yatra', he has already covered these constituencies once and has not embarked on another round.

Till date he has covered Narsannapet, Polvaram, Ramachandrapuram, Narsapur, Prathipadu segments.

Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy is scheduled to tour the other segments also shortly. The YSR Congress already has an advantage as it has announced all those, who were disqualified or resigned in support of their leader as its candidates.

In Tirupati seat, which was vacated by K. Chiranjeevi, the party is fielding B. Karunakar Reddy.

from hindu

State bypolls on June 12

The Election Commission announced on Tuesday the schedule for by-elections to 18 Assembly seats and the Nellore parliamentary seat, to be held on June 12. The vacancies were caused after Speaker Nadendla Manohar disqualified 16 legislators from the ruling Congress who had voted in favour of the no-confidence motion brought by the Telugu Desam on December 5 last year, and acceptance of the resignations by of Mr K. Chiranjeevi (Tirupati) and Ms Sobha Nagireddy (Allagadda).
Spate of polls since 2009
In May 2008, bypolls were conducted for 18 Assembly segments. But this time, in addition to 18 Assembly seats, there is also the Nellore parliamentary seat that is being contested. The elections are spread across 12 districts, which is unprecedented. Voters in the Udayagiri Assembly segment will have to exercise two votes, one for the Assembly bypoll and another for the Nellore Lok Sabha bypoll.
Schedule of byelections in the state
* Issue of notification and filing of nominations: May 18
* Last date of filing nominations: May 25
* Scrutiny of nominations: May 26
* Last date for withdrawal of nominations: May 28
* Date of polling: June 12
* Counting of votes: June 15

AP By-Elections Schedule

                                                                              
By-polls to the eighteen constituencies to be announced shortly, says the Election Commission Principal Secretary, Banwarilal. The   Officer made this announcement today in the Srikakulam District while checking on the local election commission machinery. He also added that the areas that are scheduled for the by-polls are all well equipped to handle the elections. He also added that the necessary voter list is getting ready at the various constituencies. Orders to this effect have already been instructed to the concerned said Mr Banwarilal.
By-Elections Schedule is Released today for the 18 Assembly constituencies and one parliament constituency in Andhra Pradesh.

The following dates are declared as per the schedule

Notification Release: May 18
Polling date: June 12
Results declaration: June 15

The by-polls for the 18 constituencies seemed to be fast nearing initially there were wide speculations that the by-polls could be postponed. But today’s announcement by the Mr Banwarilal suggests that the polls are not far off. Another reason that supports is the sudden visit of a central observer in the form of Union Minister Vayalar Ravi. The Minister has been extensively meeting since morning various leaders of the Congress. The reasons aor results of the meeting are yet to be known to the media, as of now.

YSRCP will merge with Congress, says K.A. Paul

                                                                             

Prajasanthi Party president and evangelist K.A. Paul on Monday opined that the YSR Congress Party would go the Praja Rajyam Party way sooner or later.

He told a press conference here that PRP founder K. Chiranjeevi had ‘orphaned' lakhs of his followers who had reposed faith in him, by merging his outfit with the Congress to which he had projected the PRP as an alternative. In the same way, YSRCP president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy would eventually merge his party with the ruling Congress.

Referring to the next round of by-elections, he said his party had so far shortlisted candidates for Ongole, Prathipadu, Narsapur, Ramachandram, and Payakaraopet seats. The candidates would be announced once the schedule was announced.

“If the notification is issued to hold the bypolls in June, we will have time to put up candidates only for these five seats. If the bypolls are held in August, candidates will be fielded for all seats.''

He projected his party, floated to bring together SCs, STs, BCs, and minorities on to a common platform to achieve political power for themselves, as the ‘real alternative' to the ‘corrupt' ruling Congress and the opposition TDP. Focusing on the 2014 general election, his party would evolve programmes to strengthen it at the grassroots level and work for social justice for the oppressed sections.

from hindu

Nellore:Campaign begins in absence of TSR

                                                                                 
Friends, admirers, relatives and well-wishers of Congress nominee for Nellore MP Seat T. Subbarami Reddy (TSR) have already launched campaign and started tapping all their contacts in the district to seek their support for his candidature. Some of them are touring the villages coming under Nellore MP seat and holding closed door meetings with their contacts to ensure support for TSR.
State-level leaders of various unions including railway and RTC unions are also contacting their union leaders in Nellore and asking them to back TSR. The campaign managers of his electioneering will be arriving from Visakhapatnam with in a couple of days and search is on for a big building to setup office for all election related activities.
According to sources close to TSR, he had already contacted all the people’s representatives of the ruling party in the district over phone and also contacting who is who of Nellore to seek their support. Mr TSR will hold meetings with writers, stage actors and cultural associations before launching his campaign.
“Mr TSR is likely to come to Nellore on May 4 and he will go on a whirlwind tour to all the six assembly segments in SPSR Nellore district and Kandukur segment in Prakasam district, which are part of Nellore Lok Sabha seat, for familiarisation with the topography and leaders at constituency level,” general secretary of TSR Kala Parishat Dodla Varada Reddy said.
Speaking to this newspaper from Visakhapatnam on Monday, he said that foundation stone will be laid for an air-conditioned auditorium being funded by TSR at Nellore on May 6. Similarly, foundation stones will be laid for two shelters at district headquarters hospital and Jubilee hospital in Nellore town for the benefit of the attendants of patients on the same day.
from DC

Jagan, Vijay Sai falsified info: CBI

                                                                         
The Central Bureau of Investigation alleged that Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy and Mr Vijay Sai Reddy gave false and exaggerated information about the worth of Jagathi Publications to the company’s auditor Deloitte to get it to fix a high premium for the share value. This was for the purpose of receiving bribes for the favours extended through the office of the Chief Minister in the garb of investments in the company and also to attract investments from industrialists like Mr Dandamudi.
The second chargesheet filed by the CBI runs into 53 pages with 30 witnesses. All the three were charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, merchant, banker or agent) and 477 (falsification of accounts).
The first chargesheet against Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy and 12 others was regarding doling out land and SEZ plots to companies like Aurobindo, Hetero and Trident in exchange for their investments in Janani Infrastructure, another the company owned by Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy. IAS officer B.P. Acharya, Hetero director M. Srinivas Reddy and Nityananda Reddy of Aurobindo were also chargedsheeted.
from DC

CBI fixes Jagan, Jagathi, Vijay Sai

                                                                               
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday filed a second chargesheet in the assets’ case against YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The first chargesheet against Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy was filed on March 31. In the second one, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, his auditor, Mr V. Vijay Sai Reddy and Jagati Publications Pvt Ltd (JPPL), owned by the YSR Congress leader, were charged under relevant sections of the IPC.
The second chargesheet revolved around the investments made in Jagathi Publications by industrialists A.K. Dandamudi, Madhav Ramachandran and others. It alleged that Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy and Mr Vijay Sai Reddy gave an exaggerated and falsified valuation report to get investments amounting to Rs 35 crore.
While submitting the chargesheet to the principal special judge for CBI cases A. Pullaiah and the CBI SP H. Venkatesh maintained that it is an additional chargesheet in the assets’ case of Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy involving several individual conspiracies. The investment of Rs 35 crore by the two industrialists is part of the Rs 1,246-crore investment that came in though various means.
The CBI had earlier recorded the statements of Mr Dandamudi and Mr Ramachandran under Section 164 of the CrPC in a statement made before a magistrate. Mr Dandamudi had invested Rs 10 crore and Mr Ramachandran had invested Rs 19.6 crore in Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s company Jagathi Publications. They are now witnesses in the case, the CBI said.
from DC

Jagan case: CBI drops 3 names in 2nd chargesheet

                                                                 
HYDERABAD: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday filed a second chargesheet in the alleged illegal assets case of Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. The MP is named accused No 1 (A1) in the case, followed by V Vijay Sai Reddy and M/s Jagathi Publications owned by Jagan Mohan Reddy as A2 and A3, while the names of three persons who figured in the FIR were omitted in the chargesheet.

The CBI also filed a supplementary chargesheet in Emaar land scam naming three more persons as accused.

In the illegal assets case, the CBI had alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy got several firms invest crores of rupees in his businesses on quid pro quo basis for the concessions they were extended when his father, the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, was the chief minister.

The CBI held Vijay Sai Reddy as the main conspirator in getting investments into Jagan Mohan Reddy’s companies.

However, the agency dropped the names of Kannan, Ramachandran and Dandamudi from the chargesheet. The three figured in the FIR registered by the CBI.

According to CBI, the trio invested Rs 34 crore in Jagathi Publications owned by Jagan Mohan Reddy, but did not get any favours. With the CBI not finding any role of the trio, their names did not figure in the chargesheet, CBI officials said.

The CBI also alleged that the share value of M/s Jagathi Publications has been inflated to attract investments.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, Vijay Sai Reddy and M/s Jagathi Publications were charged under various sections of IPC.

The CBI filed its first chargesheet in the case on March 31 against Jagan Mohan Reddy and 12 others, including Vijay Sai Reddy, accusing them of criminal conspiracy, cheating and falsification of documents among others.

When it filed the first chargesheet, the agency informed the court that it would be filing a series of chargesheets in the case.

Meanwhile, in the supplementary chargesheet filed in the Emaar land scam case, the CBI named three other accused, including N Sunil Reddy and G V Vijay Raghav, head of finance, Emaar MGF (South India).

Sunil Reddy and Vijay Raghav were arrested on January 24 and January 28 respectively. Sunil Reddy is a close aide of Jaganmohan Reddy.

Earlier, the CBI named suspended IAS officer B P Acharya as accused No 1 in the case.

The first chargesheet named 12 persons, apart from Acharya.

from ibn live

YSR was against T, says Saraiah

                                                                 
BC welfare minister Baswaraju Saraiah created a sensation in Warangal DCC circle by targeting former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on the Telangana issue during a Prajapatham meeting at Rangashaipet here on Thursday.
In his address, Mr Saraiah termed the late chief minister YSR as anti-Telangana while citing his previous experience in the aftermath of a public meeting on statehood conducted at Maheshwari garden in Warangal in 2003 before the general elections.
“After the meeting, I was pulled up the YSR for conducting the meeting on Telangana issue,” he told the stunned local party men and the people participating in the Prajapatham programme, where he launched two water tanks for the residents of municipal divisions 10, 11 and 12.
He also blamed late YSR for denying him a ministerial berth in 2004 for the same reason but went on to praise the CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy for giving him the BC ministerial portfolio. It is significant to note that Mr Saraiah’s remarks against the late YSR have come despite the fact that the AICC leadership has not yet taken any decision to target the former CM.
While a few are reading his anti-YSR remarks as a pre-bypoll posture against Jagan supporters led by Konda couple in Parkal constituency, a few other Saraiah loyalists have termed the statement as being made in his capacity as the convenor of Telangana Congress MLAs’ Forum. Sources said that because of the Congress’ ambiguous stance on T, Mr Saraiah fears that the delay in taking a stand by the party will cost his chances during 2014 polls from Warangal East constituency as it would be construed his failure as convenor of Telangana Congress MLAs’ Forum.
After being made the in- charge minister of Adilabad, Mr Saraiah has already cut down his tours in the city as his meetings often witness frequent disturbance by various pro-Telangana organisations and parties on his stance on the statehood issue.
from dc

Assets case: Jagan’s auditor Vijay Sai surrenders

Hyderabad: Two days after the Andhra Pradesh High Court cancelled his bail in connection with the illegal assets case, Vijay Sai Reddy, an auditor and close aide of YSR Congress party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy, on Monday surrendered before the CBI court.

According to reports, Vijay Sai’s bail surrendered before the special CBI court in Hyderabad early this morning.

Vijay Sai’s bail was cancelled by Justice KC Bhanu last week after the central probe agency challenged it by contending that the conditional bail granted to him by the special CBI court could hamper its investigations in the illegal assets case.


After spending over three months in the Chanchalguda Central Jail, Vijay Sai Reddy was released on April 13 on a conditional bail granted by the special CBI court. Vijay Sai was arrested by the CBI on Jan 2, and listed the number two accused in the charge sheet filed by the investigating agency last month.

Sai is the vice-president of Jagati Publications Private Limited (JPPL) owned by Jaganmohan Reddy.

The CBI had booked Jaganmohan Reddy, who is popularly known as Jagan, and 73 companies and individuals in August last year on directions of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

According to the investigating agency, Jaganmohan Reddy conspired with his father and then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy to dole out several favours to certain companies in return for the investments they made into his businesses.

Vijay Sai Reddy is the only person arrested in this case so far.
from zee news

Bettered YSR in loans: Kiran

                                           

The Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, said that while loans were given at low interest during the rule of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, they were now providing interest-free loans. He said that the Congress government was committed to provide better governance to people. Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy addressed Praja-patham meetings at Railway Kodur and Rajampet in Kadapa district on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that they were not against implementation of schemes introduced by YSR and added that they were correcting lapses in them. He said that while 25 paise interest loans and low interest farm loans were given during YSR rule, they were giving interest-free loans.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said that Rs.11,500 crore would be given as interest-free loans to women this year. Farmers would also be given Rs.31,000 crore interest-free loans, he added.
The Chief Minister said that the government had paid Rs.8,000 crore pending dues relating to students of YSR rule. He said that help is being provided to 27 lakh students for study.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said that during his two-year rule Rs.590 crore loans were given to farmers, compared Rs.800 crore loans during the six-year YSR rule. While YSR had introduced Rs.2-a-kg rice scheme, he had introduced Rs.1-kg rice scheme, the Chief Minister said. He said that the rice scheme is being implemented for 7.5 crore people.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said that employment was provided to 5 lakh youth under Rajiv Yuvakiranalu scheme. He said that 7,000 persons were appointed as village revenue officers and assistants.
The Chief Minister said that the government was spending Rs.5,500 crore for purchasing power at Rs.9 to Rs.10 per unit and supplying it at lower rates to farmers, people and industries. He said that power tariff was hiked due to unavoidable circumstances and added that no burden was imposed on those consuming up to 100 units.
He alleged that Opposition parties were creating ruckus on the issue. He said that steps were being taken to help women in all sectors and Mee Seva centres were started to issue certificates to people.
Rajampet MP A. Sai Pratap, district in-charge minister Kanna Lakshmi-narayana, state ministers C. Ramachandraiah, Md. Ahmedullah and others were present.
from DC

 

AICC takes charge of party affairs in AP

                                                                            

Annoyed by the persistent differences among senior Congress leaders in Andhra Pradesh, the AICC has decided to take charge of the by-election campaign and directed its emissary Vayalar Ravi to continue his task of planning, coordinating and monitoring till conclusion of the polls.

Interactions

After spending five days in the State where he held extensive interactions with party leaders and visited the Godavari districts, Mr. Ravi will return next week to discharge his mandate.

On his return to Delhi, Mr. Ravi will submit a detailed report on the infighting between Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana and other key leaders besides explaining the party's preparedness or the lack of it for facing the by-election.

TSR for Nellore LS seat

An indication that the high command had taken complete charge was the formal announcement of T. Subbarami Reddy being named the Congress candidate for the Nellore Lok Sabha seat. AICC president Sonia Gandhi, who gave the nod, asked Mr. Reddy to plunge into the by-election campaign.

After his return, Mr. Ravi is expected to tour 16 Assembly constituencies and directly meet the party cadre.

Congress leaders who met him got a clear impression that the high command was disappointed with the state of affairs here.

A leader close to him said Ms. Gandhi deputed Mr. Ravi to submit an independent report as she was perturbed by the developments in Andhra Pradesh.

Serious note

Leaders noted that Mr. Ravi had taken a serious note of the spate of complaints against Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Mr. Satyanarayana, lack of coordination among top leaders, reluctance to attack Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy and fear of faring badly in the by-election.

The report to be submitted by Mr. Ravi, it is believed, may form the basis for a mid-course correction including change of leadership.

Whether this will happen before the elections or later depends on the contents of the report.

The growing anger at the delay in deciding the fate of Telangana was another issue that the AICC leader had noted with concern.

They said Mr. Ravi was eager to know how many seats the Congress would win in the 2014 elections, if the demand for Telangana was conceded.

Leaders from all regions were unanimous that the high command had put the State Congress leaders on notice. “They will not brook any more infighting and will not hesitate to initiate stern action, if the party fares badly in the by-poll,” a PCC functionary said. 

from hindu

Bhanu surfaces at last

                                                                           
HYDERABAD: More than 15 months after he vanished after the sensational murder of Anantapur faction leader Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) produced key suspect Malishetty Bhanu Kiran alias Bhanu in public, claiming to have arrested him on Saturday.

They said the fugitive travelled across six states in the country to evade arrest. A .32 revolver and six rounds of bullets were seized from him.

Presenting a smiling Bhanu before the media, SV Ramana Murthy, additional director-general of police in the CID, said they laid a trap for Bhanu upon coming to know that he was coming to Andhra Pradesh from Pondicherry to pick up money from someone. However, sources said Bhanu gave himself up.

According to Ramana Murthy, as many as six teams of the CID were positioned in and around Zaheerabad in Medak district to spring the trap on Bhanu. As the fugitive reached a dhaba near Zaheerabad at about 10 a.m. on Saturday, CID sleuths pounced on him. “We learnt that Bhanu was coming from Pondicherry to collect some money from someone. After killing Suri and fleeing, this was the first time he had returned to these parts,” he added.

CID officials produced Bhanu Kiran before the Magistrate at West Maredpally. He was remanded to judicial custody till May 4 and he was� then shifted to prison.

Bhanu is said to be involved as many as 15 cases, including Suri’s murder and several cases of extortion and land settlement. Of these 15, the CID is investigating nine including Suri’s murder. One case was booked in Vijayawada and five within Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissionerate limits.

Bhanu is accused of shooting Suri dead with a .32 revolver in a Skoda Fabia at Navodaya Colony near Yousufguda in Hyderabad on Jan. 3, 2011. After the murder, he fled with the aid of his associates Manmohan Singh, Sulam Subbaiah, Venkata Hari Babu and Boya Venkata Ramana and others. The other suspects were arrested by the Central Crime Station. The case was transferred to the CID while Bhanu remained at large.

“Bhanu killed Suri with a .32 revolver that belonged to Manmohan Singh. He carried the same weapon with him and his gun licence, obtained from Khammam district, had been transferred to Odisha,’’ Ramana Murthy said. He said the help of the Vijaywada police would be sought for further investigation in the cases against Bhanu.

The CID clarified that they did not come across any link between Bhanu and home minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy’s son Karthik Reddy. The home minister ridiculed the TDP, saying that if they have any evidence against her son, she was willing to have the matter probed.

 from ibn live

TSR to take on mekapati for nellore ls seat

                                                                                      
The Nellore Lok Sabha by-election has taken an interesting turn with the Congress fielding heavyweight Dr T. Sub-barami Reddy as its ca-ndidate to take on Mek-apati Rajamohan Red-dy, the YSR Congress candidate, whose resignation from the party caused the by-election.
Mr Subbarami Reddy is a senior parliamentarian, and well-known industrialist. On Friday he met Congress presid-ent Sonia Gandhi at her residence.
“Soniaji has asked me to contest and I’ve agreed. I’m declaring right now that the Congress will win the
Nellore seat,” he said.

YSRCP demands local body polls

                                                                            

The YSR Congress Party on Friday demanded elections to local bodies in the State.

Panchayat Raj

The Panchayat Raj institutions have been turned useless as the government keeps delaying the elections, YSRCP State leader Boda Janardhan told reporters.

No funds

Mr. Janardhan said there was no developmental activity in rural areas owing to stopping of funds by the Union government. He said over Rs.8,500 crore of funds have not been released as the government delayed holding elections.

The YSRCP also demanded cancellation of the development of Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve. Mr. Janardhan said the move will alienate tribal people from their environment and harm their interest.

Protest programme

He said his party will debate the issue at a meeting of its youth wing at Nirmal on April 22. The party will chalk out a protest programme too, he added.

from hindu