Congress in dilemma over Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy legacy

                                                                               
Facing a tough battle in the polls, which are expected in May-June, the Congress appears confused on its agenda with party leaders publicly airing divergent views. While one section wants the party not to spare YSR for "corruption", the other has warned the leadership that hitting out at the late leader would be suicidal.

The ruling party, on the one hand, faces YSR's son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy who is targeting it for neglecting the welfare schemes launched by his father while, on the other, it will have to confront the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is highlighting the alleged corruption scandals of the former chief minister. The Congress party can win the confidence of people only if stops using the name and pictures of YSR," said senior leader and MP V. Hanumantha Rao.

"How can the Congress party praise YSR on one hand while criticising Jagan on the other when they were hand in glove (in corruption scandals)?" said Sarve Satyanarayana, another MP
A section of Congress leaders, including YSR's brother Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, feels the party will not get votes by targeting the late leader as it was he who brought the party to power in 2004 and 2009 and introduced many pathbreaking welfare measures.

After suffering defeat at the hands of YSR Congress party in the Kovur assembly constituency in Nellore district, the Congress is worried over the threat from the fledgling party.

Before his death in a helicopter crash in 2009, YSR was the tallest leader and a crowd puller for the party. But after his death, the situation changed dramatically with his son parting ways and claiming to be a true successor of his political legacy. A section of Congress leaders today see YSR as a liability for the party in view of various corruption scandals that have surfaced in the last two years.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the alleged illegal assets of Jagan, has pointed out in its chargesheet how YSR took certain decisions allotting land and dolling out other favours to companies in return for investments they made into the firms owned by his son.

Vijayawada:Gannavaram Airport project on rocks

                                                                           

Vijayawada:It has been proposed to acquire nearly 440 acres in these villages for the Gannavaram airport development project. The market value of the land ranges from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 8 crore per acre. The government will be offering only Rs 12 lakh to Rs 30 lakh based on registration value.“We are not ready to give our lands if the government pays less than Rs 60 lakh per acre,” says Kollipara Satyavara Prasad, a farmer of Davojigudem.

Lands of many farmers in the village have been identified for� acquisition for the project. As a majority of farmers own small land holdings, everyone is expecting a handsome amount.

“I have 60 cents in Davojigudem which comes under the purview of Buddavaram Gram Panchayat. I earmarked 20 cents each for my two daughters as dowry during their marriages. I want to keep the remaining 20 cents for me. I refused to sell the land when a realtor offered Rs 1.5 crore. The airport expansion project hit my future plans.”

“Now, no one is coming to buy our lands as they came to know that the government is going to acquire them. We will not accept the price offered by the government,” says Chiguluri Lakshmikumari of Davojigudem.

row between revenue officials and the villagers of Davojigudem, Buddavaram, Kesarapally and Ajjampudi is brewing with the latter determined not to give up their lands cheap for the expansion of Gannavaram airport.

Farmers of these villages in Gannavaram mandal have given a warning of sorts to the revenue officials not to enter their villages without announcing adequate compensation. The villagers are demanding compensation equivalent to the market value of the land.

Odisha MLA kidnapping: CM Naveen Patnaik in Koraput for high-level meet

                                                                  
Odisha:Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is visiting Koraput today to hold a high-level meeting with senior officials from the administration and the police on the abduction of Mr Hikaka. After the meeting the chief minister will visit the MLA's home in Laxmipur, 50 kilometres away, to meet with his wife Koushalya Majhi and other members of his family. This visit is believed to have been planned to dispel the perception that the state government is not paying enough attention to the MLA hostage issue.
Even as Maoists in Odisha freed Italian national Paolo Bosusco after keeping him captive for nearly a month yesterday, the hostage crisis is still far from over with abducted tribal MLA Jhina Hikaka continuing to be held captive by another faction of the Maoists
"The Maoists didn't have any personal enmity with my husband. They have taken him so that their demands are met, I want to tell them that he is an honest man and they should free him and send him back safe and sound, I have my trust in the state government, they are trying their best... the Chief Minister has assured me that my husband will be brought back safely," she said.

Not funny: Prof, neighbour arrested over Mamata cartoons

                                                                      
The cartoon in question has been doing the rounds in West Bengal after Mamata forced Trivedi out of the rail ministry and put Roy in his place. Apparently, the cartoon is a caricature of Satyajit Ray's detective masterpiece on celluloid Sonar Kella. The police have come to know Mahapatra has sent the mail to about 65 people. However, it is not yet clear what are the charges that the police has slapped against the professor.
Police arrested Ambikesh Mahapatra, a professor of chemistry of Jadavpur University for sending e-mails that show chief minister Mamata Banerjee, former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi and railway minister Mukul Roy in a poor light.
Police arrested Ambikesh Mahapatra, a professor of chemistry of Jadavpur University for sending e-mails that show chief minister Mamata Banerjee, former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi and railway minister Mukul Roy in a poor light.Police sources say Subrata Sengupta, a neighbour
Mahapatra, has also been arrested. Among the charges slapped against the two are some sections of the IT Act.
The cartoon in question has been doing the rounds in West Bengal after Mamata forced Trivedi out of the rail ministry and put Roy in his place. Apparently, the cartoon is a caricature of Satyajit Ray's detective masterpiece on celluloid Sonar Kella. The police have come to know Mahapatra has sent the mail to about 65 people. However, it is not yet clear what are the charges that the police has slapped against the professor. 

US regrets detaining Shah Rukh Khan at airport, India fumes

                                                                
External Affairs minister SM Krishna has asked Indian envoy Nirupma Roy to take up the issue of detaining actor Shah Rukh Khan at a US airport
The US customs and border protection authorities have expressed "profound" apologies for detaining actor Shah Rukh Khan at a New York airport for over two hours yesterday.
Khan had been invited by the Yale University to deliver a lecture to students.
The Indian foreign ministry is also reported to be upset over the incident and will take it up with US authorities.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna also felt it has become a policy of 'detention and apology' for the US which ''cannot continue''.
The Bollywood actor was detained at New York's White Plains airport for over two hours by immigration officials after arriving from India in a private plane with Nita Ambani.
While Nita, wife of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and the rest of their group were cleared immediately, Khan was stopped and was given immigration clearance only after about two hours, sources said.
46-year-old Khan was to address a press conference at 2 pm and deliver his lecture at 4 pm at the Yale University. However, he arrived for the press meet three hours behind schedule and his hour-long lecture started at about 6 pm.
"Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself I always take a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom," Khan said with some sarcasm addressing the students at the University.