Shankar Rao's sudden love for NTR

Former Handloom and Textiles Minister Dr P Shankar Rao, demanded that NTR be honoured with Bharat Ratna award for his services to cinema and society. This surprised many at a time when even NTR's own family members were fighting hard for the credit for installing statue of their party founder at parliament hall.

Nandamuri Tarakarama Rao, also fondly referred to as NTR, was an important state leader and the founder of Telugu Desam Party (TDP). He had won the hearts of millions with his remarkable acting skills through cinema and turned out to be the most popular leader of the state. He had introduced novel
ideas like rice at Rs. 2 per kg. But it is being doubted that his successors will be able to bring the long-awaiting Bharat Ratna to NTR.

All of them, including his wife Lakshmi Parvati and his daughter Daggubati Purandeshwar, are currently involved in a dispute pertaining to the credit for installation of NTR’s statute in the Parliament premises. In the midst of this dispute, it seems unlikely the family is even interested in claiming Bharat Ratna for the great leader. The need of the hour is that all of them join hands to focus on a more important issue of Bharat Ratna rather than quarrelling over such trivialities.

Seemandhra stars JP,Lagadapati's battle over Hyd

Telangana fighters always brand Vijayawada MP Lagadapati and even to some extend Jaya Prakash Nayarayan of Lok Satta as staunch seemandhra supporters. However both of them are now engaged in bitter battle over Hyderabad and Telangana much to the delight of telangana supporters. The recent statement of the MP from Vijaywada Lagadapati Rajagopal on Hyderabad Seemandhraites have become quite controversial. The statement was condemned by the Loksatta Convernor Jayaprakash Narayana.

Rajagopal had recently stated in one of his speeches that people belonging from Seemandhra regions,who are currently residing at Hyderabad, would be unsafe, if the demand for Telangana as a separate state was granted.Jayaprakash Narayana, who is also the MLA from Kukatpalli, was talking about the issue of politicsalong the caste-lines and emotional issues being raised as political issues. He urged the need to shift the focus on politics based on reason, which is effected through political participation. He expressed his disappointment at the controversial statement of Lagadapati and held it to be an example of
inducement of fear. JP was supporting the Press Council Chairman Justice Markandaya Katju who recently remarked that the majority population in Inida still voted along caste and communal lines.

However, JP, as is Jayaprakash Narayana also called, did not have encouraging words to say for the Telangana movement. He was of the view that the statement of the Telangana movement that the people of Telangana have been looted by the people of Seemandhra only led to aggravation of resentment and dissatisfaction. The famous Tollywood director SS Rajamouli, who respects JP and his ideals, is an active participant of the Surajyam movement. He mentioned that the chaos going on in Tollywood about casteism and regionalism is proving to be hindrance to the production of films.

No T issue at party convention

The Congress leaders are seriously thinking whether to discuss the Telangana issue or not at the State-Level Party Convention being held on December 16.

The issue came up for discussion at the meeting held on Thursday with the ministers and legislators of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts at Gandhi Bhavan. PCC Chief Botcha Satyanarayana discussed with these leaders about the arrangements and organization of the Convention.

Botcha advised the party leaders to bring at least 500 party activists from each constituency. At this juncture, Jubilee Hills MLA P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy asked the PCC Chief what the leadership would tell the cadre at the convention about the Telangana issue.

Responding to Vishnuvardhan Reddy’s question, PCC Chief said the issue cannot be solved at the State level and an all-party meeting on Telangana issue would be held in New Delhi on December 28 to solve the issue. Botcha asked the leaders not to raise the Telangana issue in the party convention.

Later, Major Industries Minister Dr J Geetha Reddy and MLC Indrasen Reddy asked the PCC president what the leadership would say if someone raised the Telangana issue in the convention. Botcha replied that he would convince the leaders not to obstruct the meeting with ‘Jai Telangana’ or ‘Samaikyandhra’ slogans.

When MLC Yadava Reddy raised the issue of inviting two representatives from each party by the Union Home Ministry and that would send wrong signals to people about the party, Botcha said there was no need to discuss about the letters sent by the Union Home Ministry inviting two representatives from each party. He also said that he would bring this issue to the notice of the Union Home Ministry.

Vultures ruling the state

Sharmila, late chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s daughter and sister of YSRCP president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday alleged that the State was being ruled by vultures.

As a part of her ‘Maro Praja Prasthanam”, Sharmila addressed people at Ravirala village in Ranga Reddy district. Speaking on the occasion, Sharmila reminded that her father had launched several welfare schemes without increasing charges and taxes burdening the people. She alleged that Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy was creating hardship to the people by indiscriminately hiking the charges and taxes.

CBI opposes interim bail to Mopidevi

CBI has opposed interim bail to former minister Mipidevi Venkata Ramana to go to Sabarimalai.

CBI court has on Thursday heard arguments on the bail petition filed by Mopidevi, charged of involvement in the disproportionate assets case against Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. While the former minister has stated that he has been going to Sabarimalai since the last 19 years and urged the court to give him bail as he has already taken Deeksha, CBI has argued that if he came out at this time, he would influence investigation.

Governor goes to Delhi to discuss Dharmana

Governor ESL Narasimhan has gone to New Delhi on Thursday morning.

It is learnt that he is going to discuss Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao issue with the senior leaders at Delhi.

It may be mentioned that the state cabinet has rejected permission to the CBI to prosecute Dharmana, named accused in the Vanpic case. The file is now with the governor for disposal.

Narasimhan is also likely to discuss about the Telangana issue in Delhi.

NTR’s elder son fumes at critics of Purandeswari

N T Rama Rao’s eldest son Jaya Krishna who rarely comes before the media, has seethed with anger at the criticism being leveled at his sister and union minister Purandeswari.

Talking to a news channel, he said his blood boiled when he heard charges leveled at his sister. He has strongly condemned those allegations. Stating that NTR was an idol to all the Telugu people, Jaya Krishna said he belonged to every one.

Meanwhile, Purandeswari’s other brother Hari Krishna has also expressed anger at critics of his sister. He has reportedly warned TDP Parliamentary Party leader Nama Nageswara Rao to refrain from cheap talk against his sister.

NTR’s children were all hurt by the remarks hero Bala Krishna made against his sister. They have felt that other leaders are taking advantage of his remarks and attacking Purandeswari.

Though Jaya Krishna and Hari Krishna have not named Bala Krishna, their warnings to other TDP leaders might make even Balayya refrain from attacking his sister.

Lokesh tweets on Jagan’s corruption

Nara Lokesh, son of the TDP chief Chandra Babu Naidu has tweeted about the corruption charges against the YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

He said leaders of his party who were only stating that Jagan would come out of jail on bail, were unable to firmly state that he had not indulged in corruption.

Lokesh said the money swindled by Jagan was equivalent to the load carried in thousand Lorries of hundred rupee note bags.

Mentioning about the claim of YSRCP leaders that their surveys revealed a clean sweep by the YSRCP in the next elections, Lokesh questioned why then they were buying MLAs of other parties.

Bitter fight for TRS crown

According to inside information, trouble is brewing in TRS party led by KCR with bitter fight starting between his son KTR and nephew Harish Rao. The competition for the title of the best successor in TRS party has begun and the same is between K TRama Rao, son of K Chandrasekhar Rao, and Harish Rao, who Chandrasekhar Rao’s nephew .

The current party president, the enigmatic K Chandrasekhar Rao or KCR, is reaching old age and allegedly he has been suffering from few health issues as well. He has been said to be absent from few of the public meetings because of this very reason. Of late, it has also been noticed that he restrains from giving long speeches.

If this situation continues, it will soon be time to change the leadership and the need to find an appropriate successor. So the successors- in-line are K T Rama Rao and Harish Rao. Speaking hierarchically, KTR is son of KCR and might end up inheriting the position. However, there is also Harish Rao who has been associated prominently with the party right from the stage of its inception. Not only that, he has also been instrumental in building the party cadre from scratch and providing strength and support to the party. Indeed, his support to the party cannot be ignored or neglected.

Sujana Chowdary says sorry to colleagues

TDP MP Sujana Chowdary has expressed regrets following serious objections raised by party senior leaders to his abstaining from the voting on FDIs in the upper house. He has called the MLAs and other leaders who have criticized him and expressed sorry.

After the voting on FDIs, Sujana Chowdary made some provocative remarks. He had said that “dogs would bark when elephants walk”. He said that some leaders were criticizing him not knowing their own status. Senior leader and MLA Payyavula Keshav has seriously resented the remarks.

Leaders like Kottakota Dayakara Reddy have also expressed anger at the attitude of Sujana Chowdary. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, who intervened, has reportedly counseled that Sujana Chowdary should have observed restraint in view of the hurt feelings of party leaders and MLAs.

After Naidu’s intervention, Sujana Chowdary reportedly called Keshav, Dayakar and others and expressed sorry for his remarks. He has said that he had no intention of hurting any one and said if he had said anything wrong, he was regretting.

This is only to delay

TRS senior leader T Harish Rao has said that by stating that each party could send two representatives to the all-party meeting on Telangana, the Centre has once again made it clear that it was not keen on finding a solution to the problem.

Responding to the letters written by the home ministry, Harish Rao has said that it now became clear that the all-party meeting was only a ploy to delay solution to the problem and not finding one. He has charged Congress of cheating the people of Telangana once again. He has demanded that both the Congress and the TDP should now clarify their stands. He said the two-eye theory would no longer hold good. He said Chandra Babu Naidu who wrote a letter to the Centre asking for calling of all-party meeting, should also make his party's stand clear, before the meeting.

Hari Krishna angry over both brothers-in-law

TDP leader and MP Nandamuri Hari Krishna has expressed anger at both his brothers-in-law Chandra Babu Naidu and Dr. Venkateswara Rao. He said both were dragging the image of the family to roads, over the statue of his late father N T Rama Rao.

Stating that it was the desire of all the family members that NTR's statue should be erected in the Parliament, Hari Krishna said it was not important as to who was responsible for it. He said it was improper on the part of any one to politicize who was instrumental for it. He also felt that it was just a family matter and neither the TDP nor the sons-in-law (Naidu and Daggubati) should intervene in it.

Hari Krishna has also said that the party's image has suffered because of three MPs abstaining from the voting on the FDIs in the Rajya Sabha. He said because of what they had done, they were unable to stand upright and show their faces to other opposition members.

Wait till Jagan comes back - Sharmila

YSR Congress leader Sharmila has claimed that good governance was possible only through her brother and the party chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

Addressing meetings during her pada yatra in the district on Tuesday, she has counseled people to wait till Jagan came out the jail. She has lashed out at the Kiran Kumar Reddy government as well as the opposition TDP's attitude. She has also not left the TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao either.

Sharmila has participated in a Rachabanda programme at Penjarla. Several farmers and women told her about their woes. She told them that Jagan would bring back the golden days of the YSR rule and asked them to patiently await his release. She said once he came out, all their problems would be resolved.

‘T’ MPs lodge house contempt petition against KKR

Telangana Congress MPs have lodged a Contempt of House petition with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar against Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy here on Tuesday and requested her to initiate action against him.

They alleged in their complaint that the Chief Minister got them arrested illegally during the Millennium March held in Hyderabad. They asked the Speaker to register Contempt of the House case against the Chief Minister.

Nagarkurnool MP Manda Jagannatham, Peddapally MP Vivek, Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar, Warangal MP S Rajaiah and Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki Goud lodged this complaint with the Lok Sabha Speaker.

TDP MLA Vanita meets Jagan in jail

Taneti Vanita suspended MLA of TDP from the Gopalapuram constituency of west Godavari district has met Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the Chanchalguda jail. Vanita who has already announced her decision to leave TDP and join the YSRCP has reportedly discussed her future with Jagan.

Speaking to the media later, Vanita said that all the welfare schemes introduced by the late Chief Minister Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy have been diluted by the Kiran Kumar Reddy government. She said only Jagan was capable of implementing YSR's schemes effectively.

It may be recalled that the TDP has suspended Vanita on October 31.

Gopichand "Mentally harassing"!!!

India's ace shuttler Jwala Gutta Monday welcomed Bombay High Court's observation that it is ethically wrong for chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand to run a private academy in Hyderabad.

The women's doubles player also questioned Gopichand Academy for collecting huge money from the budding players despite the fact that it came up on a government land and is funded by the Sports Authority of India (SAI)

She told reporters here that the academy was running fully on commercial lines though it was the government which allotted land for it and was also giving the funds.

The 28-year-old alleged that only those who get coaching at the academy were being selected for the tournaments. "I know a player who was among the top five but was not sent to nationals because he is from LB Stadium," said

Jwala supported Prajakta Sawant, who dragged Gopichand to court, alleging that Gopichand was "mentally harassing" her by not allowing her to participate in the All India National Coaching Camp in Hyderabad. The Mumbai shuttler alleged that Gopichand was out to ruin her career by promoting only those players who train at his academy.

Though a relative of Gopichand, Jwala never had good terms with him. She trains at LB Stadium here under former national chief coach Syed Mohammed Arif.

"Arif sir also had an opportunity to start an academy but he was never interested in turning badminton into commercial activity."

Satyam Raju gets relief in high court

Satyam Computers former chairman Ramalinga Raju has got relief from the attachment order issued by the Enforcement Directorate on his properties. 

The high court has on Tuesday stayed the orders of the Enforcement Directorate attaching the properties.

It may be recalled that the ED has issued orders attaching properties worth Rs. 822 cr. in connection with the Satyam Computers scam. Ramalinga Raju has challenged this decision in the high court.

Hearing on Jagan bail plea posted to 13th Dec

The high court has posted hearing on the statutory bail petition of the YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy to December 13. The court would hear both the statutory bail petition and the normal bail plea on the same day.

It may be recalled that Jagan has filed both the petitions contending that he has the statutory right of getting bail as CBI, the investigating agency failed to file the charge-sheet within the stipulated time frame of 90 days.

Daggupati blasts CBN on NTR statue issue

Congress MLA Daggubati Venkateshwar Rao has lashed out at the TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu in regard to installation of former chief minister late NTR statue in the Parliament and said that the installation was taking place just because of efforts of Union Minister D Purandeshwari.

Speaking to the media at CLP office here on Monday, Daggubati cautioned not to make worthless criticism against Purandeshwari. He questioned as to what Chandrababu, who used to say that he had great influence in New Delhi, did during his nine-year rule. He said that Chandrababu never taken care of installation of NTR statue in the Parliament.

He said that Chandrababu was also making an issue alleging that the Centre was not awarding the ‘Bharat Rathna’ to NTR. He also questioned Chandrababu as to why he failed to name after NTR the Airport during his rule. “It is ridiculous on the part of Chandrababu to ask the Congress Government now about it”, he alleged. He said that the Chandrababu Government entered into an agreement with the GMR Group to construct the Airport but Chandrababu had not proposed with the GMR to name after NTR to the Airport. He alleged that Chandrababu is misguiding the people criticizing Purandeshwari.

If 'T' state is given, they will plunder

Congress MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao has said that the plan of the separatists was to plunder the rich in a big way if separate state was created.

Addressing the Samaikyandhra Samara Bheri in the SV University here on Monday, he said if backwardness was to be the basis for division, there would be need for innumerable divisions. He has alleged that students and people were being unnecessarily provoked for political gain of leaders. He said if separate state was created, they would extort money from the rich. He said it was the plan of some leaders to collect crores of rupees from the rich and fill their pockets if 'T' state was created. He has lamented that some people were entering politics only to earn money. He has pointed out that the Sri Krishna committee has stated that there were backward regions in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions also.

The senior MP has stated that regional parties were sprouting up because of economic imbalances and these parties were inciting the people in the name of economic and social inequalities. He said if these imbalances were removed, there would be no need to divide the nation or the state.