Insiders fear Sai Pratap may say bye to Congress?

                                                                             
HYDERABAD: Is six-time Lok Sabha member and former Union minister A Sai Pratap inching towards YSR Congress? Sai Pratap's decision to not get involved in the upcoming byelections in the three Assembly constituencies in his Rajampet Parliamentary constituency is being interpreted within state Congress circles as the first step in his eventual defection to YSR Congress.

Sai Pratap, a Balija leader and a staunch protege of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, has already expressed unhappiness over criticism by some Congress leaders of the YSR regime and threatened to quit the ruling party unless the tirade against his late mentor was halted.

Although chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana have stood by YSR publicly and disapproved any criticism of the ex-CM, some SC and ST leaders have continued to brand him as having been 'anti-Dalit.'

In these circumstances, Sai Pratap's decision not to campaign for the Congress in the three Assembly segments within his Kadapa district base has unnerved a party which has already been weakened by factionalism. Health minister DL Ravindra Reddy was the first to distance himself from campaigning for the bypolls saying that he was unhappy with Kiran Kumar Reddy's style of functioning.

There is a fear in Congress circles that without the active presence of Sai Pratap, the Balijas, who are numerically the single-largest community in at least two of the three constituencies in question, will switch allegiances to Telugu Desam Party.

Sai Pratap, however, said that he was not thinking of leaving Congress. However, the former Union minister claimed that there were indeed some forces within the party who are working to see him out.

"I will quit the party and retire from politics if I am asked to speak against YSR. I will not participate in YSR-bashing and Jagan-bashing as means to garner votes," Sai Pratap said. He acknowledged that Balijas in Rajampet Assembly constituency were unhappy with the Congress for not having given a ticket to a member from their community. Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy is tipped to get the Congress ticket from Rajampet and has already begun campaigning for the bypolls.
from times of india

Jagan: Match-fixing by Congress, Desam

                                                                             
While the Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, is going all out accusing the Congress and YSR Con-gress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of clinching a clandestine deal, Mr Jagan, on Sunday, reiterated his claim that Mr Naidu and Congress were together designing ways to eliminate his party.
Speaking at a road show as part of his bypoll campaign in Narsannapeta Assembly constituency in Srikakulam district, he said “There is a match-fixing between the Congress and the Telugu Desam to defeat me and my party. They will come with bags of money. You must listen to your heart and conscience, and vote accordingly. The resounding victory of these bypolls should reach the corridors of Delhi.”
He also said that general elections were also not too far away after the bypolls. Mr Jagan who reached Vizag on Sunday will be touring Narasannapeta extensively, taking part in several road shows till April 18. On April 19 and 20, he will tour Payaka-raopeta in the district.
from DC

YSRCP stages dharna

                                                                                      

YSR Congress Party cadres staged a dharna in front of the Municipal Office here on Monday resenting the alleged failure of the government to mitigate the drinking water woes of the residents of the town.

Party district convenor Chanda Lingaiah Dora, Central Executive Committee member Puvvada Ajay Kumar and others participated in the agitation.

The party leaders alleged that the State government turned a blind eye to the drinking water problems of the people.

Funds demanded

They asked the government to release adequate funds to ensure supply of drinking water to the entire town.
from hindu

Hyderabad sends Ravi to stem rot in Congress

                                                                                   
In a significant development, the Congress high command has sent Union minister Vayalar Ravi to Hyderabad to hold talks with leaders and stem the rot plaguing the party. This has come as a surprise to party leaders, since Gulam Nabi Azad is in charge of AP affairs. In another development, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy called on AICC president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.
Sources said that the CM briefed her about the strategy to be adopted for the bypolls, the current political situation and other burning issues in AP. Fears about the outcome of the bypolls, open squabbles among the party leaders, criticism of the CM by health minister D.L. Ravindra Reddy and others, the Telangana agitation and its effect on the administration are some of the issues that have led the Congress high comm-and to take a serious note.
“I will assess the situation in the wake of the byelections and other issues and report back to the party chief,” Mr Ravi said. He plans to hold talks with all sections of party leaders in the run-up to the bypolls and also to qu-ell differences among the party leaders and the CM. The party high command reportedly wants a “second opinion” on party affairs in the state thro-ugh Mr Ravi, an MP said.
Mr Ravi’s arrival in Hyderabad gains added significance in light of Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan’s recent Delhi visit. “Something is brewing. The high command seems to have taken the problems facing the party rather seriously and is in a damage control mode. Maybe some drastic action will be taken soon,” the MP said.
from DC

TRS decides to contest Parkal by-election

                                                                               

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has turned down the ‘request' of the Communist Party of India (CPI) to spare Parkal seat for contesting in the forthcoming by-election and decided to contest it on its own.

A committee comprising Nayani Narasimha Reddy, G. Vijayarama Rao and V. Laxmikanth Rao will talk to aspirants and submit a report to the party president in 2-3 days. This was decided at the party's Polit Bureau meeting held here on Monday.

Briefing mediapersons, party leaders Mr. Narasimha Reddy and T. Harish Rao stated that another committee was formed to dwell into the party's defeat in Mahabubnagar recently.

The party's 11th anniversary would be celebrated in Vikarabad on April 27 with 200 delegates from each Assembly constituency attending it.

Tough task

Meanwhile, party sources said selection of candidate for Parkal constituency was a difficult task keeping in view the setback suffered in Mahabubnagar. Several aspirants were seriously vying for Parkal ticket, though the by-election would be held for only one-and-a-half year's term.

Names of defeated candidate in 2009 elections M. Bikshapathy, Warangal district TRS president Peddi Sudarshan Reddy, former DGP P. Ramulu and a few others were among the list of aspirants, a party leader stated. Party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who chaired the meeting, was learnt to have indicated to the panel that it select a hardcore campaigner of Telangana, for the by-election.

The decision of the BJP, which defeated its candidate in Mahabubnagar, to contest Parkal and the talk of balladeer Vimalakka and former DSP Nalini entering the fray were making things difficult for the TRS.

“Parkal by-election will be a litmus test for us,” the TRS sources admitted. The party is likely to announce its candidate on April 19.

from hindu