On third day of Parliament today the members of Telangana Rashtra Samiti staged dharna in Parliament demanding the setting up of separate High Court for the state of Telangana. Party MPs from both the Houses, under the leadership of party secretary general and Rajya Sabha MP K Keshavarao, staged dharna near Gandhi Statue displaying placards. Talking to Telugu 360.com from New Delhi Keshava Rao said they would not relent their demand till a separate High Court was set up for Telangana.
“This is a legitimate demand from people of Telangana. When a new state has been created, a separate High Court should not be denied or delayed. And it is incorporated in Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act also. Unless the you have some motive, in delaying the bifurcation of the splitting of High Court, I don’t see any reason. The suspicion that Delhi Naidu and Hyderabad Naidu are coming in the way of division is gaining ground because of this inordinate delay,” Rao said.
Congress floor leader in Telangan Legislative Council Md Ali Shabbir and senior leader Gandra Venkataramana Reddy demanded that a 420 case should be booked against commercial taxes minister Talasani Srinivasa Yadava for lying on the status of his resignation.
Talasani, who got elected to Assembly as TDP member from Hyderabad’s Sananth Nagar constituency, later defected to TRS which inducted him into cabinet. Congress and TDP have been demanding his resignation and the TDP filed petition with speaker for his disqualification under anti-defection law. Before joining TRS, they said, Talasani had lied to the Governor, Speaker and the Chief Minister abut his resignation as TDP member. The Congress leaders had a sought a copy from Speaker’s office.
But, Shabbir and Reddy contradicted his claim that he had resigned from Assembly. “We had applied for a copy of his resignation letter from Speaker’s office under RTI Act. Speaker’s office clarified that they had not received any resignation from Talasani Srinivas Yadav,” Shabbir said accusing the minister of misleading the Governor, Speaker and the people of the state.
How could KCR talk of model governance in Telangana when he himself allowed a TDP member , who had not resigned from the party and Assembly, to become a cabinet minister, Gandra asked.
They both demanded that either the minister resign immediately and be disqualified by the speaker under anti-defection law.
Will Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) bring back all its former leaders, including Vijayashanti, to its fold.
According to media reports, after poaching on Congress and TDP , TRS is now ready to condone and accept its former leaders such as Vijayashanti, Vijayaramarao, K Chandrasekhar etc.
Interestingly, T Jayaprakash Reddy, who is known for his virulent attacks on KCR and his family, also is not averse to rejoin the party, the reports said. All these leaders left TRS following their differences with party president K Chandrasekhar Rao some time back.
Vijaya Shanti left the party before 2014 election after she fell from the grace of KCR. She joined Congress before the elections and contested from Medak Assembly Constituency.
She, however, lost to TRS’ Madhava Reddy Gari Padma. Once super star in Telugu Movies, Vijayashanti made her debut in to politics by joining BJP in 1998. She was made chief of woman’s wing of united Andhra Pradesh. She was even named party candidate against the Sonia Gandhi when the latter was planning to contest from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency .
Later, she quit BJP and floated a Telangana outfit Talli Telangana, when the T-movement was at its peak. Later, KCR managed her to merge the party with TRS. The party fielded her from Medak Lok Sabha constituency and she won .
Having no role in Congress and marginalized by new generation leaders, Vijayashanti is said to be thinking of returning back to TRS. Media reports say she is in touch with Irrigation minister T Harish Rao.
Those who are thinking on the similar lines, according media reports, are former minister Dr Vijayaramarao (Warangal), Duggira Srinivasa Rao (palakurthi), A Chandrasekhar (Vikarabad) and A Arvind Reddy( Machiryal).
Responding to the call given by TRS, entire Mahabubnagar district is observing the bandh since morning. All education institutions have been closed. As the bandh is called by ruling party, life is expected to come to a standstill. As per the information available at 8.30 in morning RTC employees of all unions have participated in the bandh. Buses are off the road. All 9 depot with a fleet of 975 buses have suspended their operation. Shops have been closed. TRS is organizing an all party meeting this evening to discuss a strategy to counter the moves AP CM Chandrababu Naidu to stall the Palamuru Lift Irrigation project.
Marri Sashidhar Reddy, a senior Congress leader and former MLA from Sanathnagar, Hyderabad, leveled a serious charge against Governor ESL Narasimhan for his alleged constitutional impropriety.
He cautioned Governor against becoming another Ram Lal.
According to Reddy, governor failed on two counts in upholding the constitutional values in Telangana.
He administers of oath office to an MLA who was facing anti-defection charges
He is allowing the minister to continue to hold office even after six month instead asking him to face elections.
Ram Lal, was Governor, when NT Ramarao was toppled by Nadendla Bhaskhar Rao, NTR’s finance ministery,in a coup of sorts, way back in August 1984. There was a hue and cry against Ram Lal’s constitutional impropriety in removing NTR and allowing Nadendla form government when the former was in US undergoing treatment. Later, buckling under the pressure from people across the country, Ram Lal was removed by the centre.
Sashidhar Reddy accused of Narasimhan of same constitutional impropriety for administering oath of office and secrecy to TDP MLA Talasani Srinivasa Yadav as a minister in KCR’s cabinet. Incidentally, Talasani wrested the Sanathnagar seat from Sashidhar Reddy in 2014. But he defected to TRS and a petition seeking his disqualification under anti-defection law is under consideration of the speaker. The question Sashidhar Reddy was asking that,”can a governor ignore the constitutional status of a defected MLA and administer oath of office?”
“Governor was aware that Talasani was elected to Assembly as TDP candidate in 2014. He was inducted into cabinet on December 16, 2014 and completed six months,” he said in a letter addressed to the governor.
“You administered,” he said in the letter, “oath of office to Talasani as a minister in the government run by TRS, which is not the political party through with which he won as a legislator.”
“Instead of protecting and upholding the constitution, you are protecting the unconstitutional acts and activities of the Telangana government. People of the state still remember the infamous Governor Ram Lal and feel that, hopefully, we should not see another one in the making.
Is Greater Hyderabad’s Congress strongman Danam Nagender going to be the next target of TRS.
As GHMC is heading for elections in December Telangana Rashtra Samiti is said to be wooing the president of Greater Hderabad Congress to switch sides.
Danam, labor minister in the previous Congress government, though defeated in 2014, is an influential leader in local politics. Even though we was appointed a minister by YSR, he never grew beyond the constituency in city. So, the TRS, which is on weak wicket in GHMC, thinks, Danam, will fill vacuum in TRS with regard to leadership in GHMC.
The TRS has genuine doubts about emerging victor in GHMC election despite its government in the state. Congress sources told telug360.com that Danam was being offered the post of mayor of GHMC. The Congress leader is out of country to comment on the latest round of speculation. Because, there was an intense speculation about his possible switch over to TRS in August 2014 as well. But, it did not happen.
A typical Congress politician, Danam did leave Congress, when he was denied party ticket in 2004. He joined TDP, contested the election and won from Asif Nagar. But, in no time, he resigned from TDP, quit Assembly to rejoin Congress and return to Assembly. But, those were the days of YSR. Now, Congress is in a shambles. TRS bait looks too tempting given the bleak future for Congress.
Dharmapuri Srinivas’ defection to ruling TRS is unlikely to greatly change the political equations in Nizambad district.
D Srinvas (DS), a Munnuru Kapu, was a leader of standing in district some time back when TRS was not in the picture and TDP was the only rival.
After advent of TRS into the political arena, Sriniva’s clout as the tall leader of the party began to fade away.His defeat in the past successive election bears testimony to this. The last election he won was the Assembly election held in 2004 from Nizambad Urban constituency, when Congress fought in alliance with fledgling TRS. He lost every election he fought later. In 2009 he lost to BJP candidate Y Lakshminarayana. In the by-election held in 2010, following the resignation of all Telangana MLAs demanding Telangana, D Srinivas could not wrest the seat from Lakshminarayana. He lost again by 12600 votes. He could not recover in 2014 election either, even after Congress granted the Telangana separate state.
He shifted his base to Nizambad rural. The Congress heavy weight was trounced by Bajireddy Goverdhan Reddy, who joined the TRS party just two days ago. The series of defeats have tarnished his image as a leader of Congress. In between the Congress nominated him to the Council. So, observers say his joining would not add up anything to TRS politically except for the negative publicity to the Congress.
Why TRS Wants DS
TRS wants to make Nizambad Lok Sabha Constituency pocket borough of Kavita, party MP and daughter of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. By weaning away all the opposition leaders, TRS wants the constituency an Amethi for Kavita. To achieve this goal, a strong hype need to be created in state about how Congress is becoming irrelevant. After DS, former Congress minister and senior leader Sudarshan Reddy is likely target of TRS. With this, Congress will be left with only leader, former MP Madhu Yaski, who is now AICC spokesperson in Delhi.
Last Ditch Attempt
Congress’ last ditch attempt to pacify D Srinivas has failed. Accompanied by TPCC working president Mallu Bhattivikramarkha, D Sridhar Babu, DK Aruna etc. PCC president N Uttamkumar Reddy tried to meet Srinivas this morning. But, before the team arrived at his Banjara Hills resident, DS had already left for the residence of chief minister KCR. The team got back to Gandhi Bhavan without meeting DS.
Srinivas is expected to send his resignation letter to the party president Sonia Gandhi tomorrow.
Smitha Sabharwal, the additional secretary to Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, hit back at Outlook magazine for depicting her in a objectionable angle. She slapped a legal notice on the magazine. In the legal notice, sent through her lawyer Rachna Reddy, she remarked that the snippet carried in the Outlook column “No Boring Babu” was “cheap, distasteful and titillating.”
Though the snippet, appeared under a title “Deep Throat”, gave a description of a “junior bureaucrat posted in Telangana CMs office” without any name , it clearly points to Smitha Sabharwal, a 2001 batch IAS officer, as the piece is about a woman. She is the only woman officer posted in TCMs office. The snippet was embellished with a cartoon, which depicted a lady, who resembles Smitha, doing catwalk while the CM KCR in caricature watches with morbid interest with his camera.
The gossipy contents of the snippet crossed the limits of decency in dealing with a subject as subtle as a working-woman in the male dominated TRS. TRS is a party in which woman MLAs are far lesser in number while the cabinet has none.
The Outlook looked at her, as “The lovely lady, known for ethnic style,” and went on stating that she “recently stunned all by appearing in a trendy trouser and frilly top at a fashion show.”
As far Smitha Sabharwal, the relatively junior officer won the hearts of the people wherever she worked until she was posted in Medak as collector. Before being appointed as collector Medak in October, 2013, she worked in Chittoor, Kadapa, Warangal, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Karimnagar district. Having observed T-movement from close quarters, she developed sympathy towards the people participating in the movement. While watching family members of T-martyrs on the T-formation day as collector on June 2, 2014, she could not stop emotion welling out of heart. She sobbed like child before the audience drawn from across the district. Later, KCR shifted her to Hyderabad as his additional secretary.
The five-page legal notice slapped on Outllook today said the piece written by Outlook was deliberate mischief to denigrate her and her posting in CMO.The legal notice demanded an apology that is “visible and of the same dimensions.” Based on the response from the magazine Sabharwal will think of next course of action.
Many more TDP MLAs from Telangana are reportedly in touch with TRS . This information has been revealed by Telangana transport minister Dr P Mahender Reddy. TRS appears to be upbeat over the news that senior Congress leader D Srinivas is expected to join the Party. The Telangana minister said MLAs from both TDP and Congress had joined TRS. He said three or four more MLA were expected to join the pink party. Mahender Reddy was talking to media to TRSLP meeting today. He did not give more details.
As expected, the political situation in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has turned volatile following report of purported legal clarification by attorney-general Mukul Rohatgi to Governor ESL Narasimhan that he could monitor the cash-for-vote scandal. While pressure is mounting on KCR to rush to Delhi to oppose any such move by centre and to sit on fast, if necessary, to scuttle move in tracks, cabinet ministers from Andhra Pradesh urged chief minister Chandrababu Naidu to put pressure to implement the section 8 of AP Reorganization Act-2014. Tuesday saw intense activity in TDP and TRS camps both supporting the view and opposing it vehemently. While Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao met the governor to know the veracity of the media report about the centre’s decision. TRS circles claim that Rao had opposed any change in the status quo in the name of empowering the Raj Bhavan with Section 8 of AP Reorganization Act-2014. All the JACs have clarified that they would oppose the invoking section 8. While TJAC chairman Kodandaraom said they would not allow the empowering Raj Bhavan with special powers. While admitting that there was no clarity on the matter, Kodandaram said, resorting to Section 8 means usurping the powers of state. He said Governor would have to take the opinion of the Telangana Government on the matter.
NGO’s leader Devi Prasad said they would not hesitate to launch an agitation to oppose the move. Ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao, Talasani Srinivas Yadav also opposed the idea of invoking the controversial provisions of bifurcation Act. Rajya Sabha members K Kesava Rao said there was no confirmation from the centre on the NDTV report on empowering the Raj Bhavan with special monitoring powers. Even CPM joined chorus. T-state CPM secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram said there was clear evidence for the involvement of Chandrababu Naidu in the cash-for-vote case. On the other side of the border ministers Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Pratipati Pulla Rao, Ravela Kishore Babu and P Narayana met chief minister Naidu and requested him to pressure on centre for the implementation of Section 8 of bifurcation Act. Similarly, minister Kamineni Srinivas and Deveneni Umamaheswar Rao also demanded the centre to authorize Governor to monitor all the cases under investigation. Talking to media, finance minister Yanamala said Telangana should not scuttle implementation of constitutional provisions. The ministers said Hyderabad had become insecure in TRS regime and only way for the protection of people was the invocation of Section 8. “TRS government is seizing the properties of institutes listed in schedule 9 and 10 of the Act which is illegal. Now phones of government functionaries have been tapped. Tomorrow attacks on properties of AP people cannot be ruled out,” they said. Meanwhile, there is even talk among the TDP circles that CM Naidu may go to New Delhi to exert pressure on the centre for the implementation of Section-8.
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]early a month after Telugu chief ministers—Chandrababu Naidu and K Chandrasekhar Rao- apparently started off war of words over the infamous cash-for-vote scam, the union minister Venkaiah Naidu (who is often regarded as the statesman) has spoken on the issue.
Stressing on the need for peace, Venkaiah Naidu has said that the duo must now put all the controversies to rest. He said that they must stop shooting dialogues at each other. Instead, he said, KCR and Babu must leave all the controversies to the law of the land.
It may be recalled that Chandrababu Naidu came under heavy criticism after the arrest of his MLA from Telangana state, Revant Reddy. Babu, who held a public meet in Vijayawada shortly, took pot shots at KCR and said that even he had ACB.
Coming down heavily on these statements, KCR said that even Lord Brahma wouldn’t save Chandrababu Naidu. According to experts, both the chief ministers must have refrained from personal statements when law was taking its own course of action. Today, Venkaiah Naidu too came out with similar opinion.
Let us truly hope that Telugu chief ministers will now at least put these controversies at rest and work together for the development of two states.
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]oes chief minister Chandrababu Naidu look like a burglar who got caught while in hole he made in the wall. “Yes, he does”, says BV Raghavulu, politburo member of CPM.The veteran CPM leader said Naidu should first clarify to the people if the voice recorded in the audio was his or not.
“He looks like a thief who was caught in the hole he himself made in the wall to burgle a house”, he said.
Speaking to telugu360.com from Tirupati, where he was attending a seminar on the ‘corporatization of politics’, Raghuvulu wondered how Naidu evades a straight question about his role in the attempt to buy an MLA’s vote in Telangana. “His voice is there for verification. His representatives were caught red-handed while offering money to nominated MLA Elvis. Instead of denying the episode in clear terms, Naiduy is talking everything other than replying the main question,” Raghavulu said.
Raghavulu was critical of Naidu’s attempt to distract people’s attention from the cash-for-vote scam with a counter charge of Telephone tapping against the Telangana government.
“If he is so sure of his telephone having been tapped, and he has enough proof, why didn’t his government file a case in the court? He should at least come before the media with proof. It is again a ploy to divert people’s attention and an attempt to cover up his tarnished face,” he said. Dubbing the upcoming capital of Andhra Pradesh as the corporate capital, the former CPM state secretary said Amaravathi would become another Hyderabad with all development getting concentrated in the city. This may lead to unrest in the long run in other regions, he added.
[pullquote position=”left”]”He looks like a thief who was caught in the hole he himself made in the wall to burgle a house.”[/pullquote]
Raghavulu was equally critical of TRS chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. According to the CPM veteran, Rao was trying to get cheap mileage out of the case to gloss over his failures in Telangana state.
“Bifurcation has brought about many problems. Water sharing is a problem. Division assets of RTC and power sector has been pending. Instead of concentrating on these issues, both chief ministers are indulging political one-upmanship. They will soon face the wrath of the people,” he warned.
Telangana IT minister K Tarakarama Rao (KTR) met the union minister Venkaiah Naidu today in Delhi.
Although this meeting gained significance in the wake of the ongoing probe in to the infamous cash-for-vote scam, KTR told the media that he had held no secret meetings with Venkaiah Naidu.
Briefing more on the same, after meeting the BJP senior leader, KTR has said that he invited Venkaiah Naidu for an international conference that is scheduled to take place on August 22 and 23.
Venkaiah Naidu said he would attend the meeting, added Harish Rao. Responding to one of questions, KTR said that Andhra and Telangana people were living together like brothers in the common capital Hyderabad.
Sathyanarayanapuram circle inspector has said that Muthaiah, the fourth accused in the infamous cash for vote scam, never mentioned the names of ACB officials or KCR directly in his recent police complaint.
Briefing more on the same, CI Satyanarayana has said that Muthaiah alleged that he had life threat from people associated with Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
He even mentioned that he was getting threatening calls from unknown people and sought police protection.
It is known that this case has been handed over to the Andhra Pradesh CID police. It may be noted speculations were rife that Muthaiah complained against KCR and the Andhra Pradesh police might serve notices on him at any time.
When two persons cross swords, it will undoubtedly become a great weapon to their common opponent. The situation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh seems to be the same. While the chief ministers of Telugu speaking states are embroiled in war of words, the party that last ruled erstwhile Andhra Pradesh is playing a clever dice.
The recent statements of Raghuveera Reddy, V Hanumanth Rao and Shabbir Ali serve as shining examples to the above said hypothesis. It has to be mentioned here that Raghuveera Reddy recently tore the TDP manifesto. The matter of debate here is—why should he resort to such things after a year? While this question might not even hog the required light due to the heated arguments between the chief ministers, a careful examination at Congress actions will definitely make you pause and ponder.
Barely two days after Raghuveer’s strong comments, another leader from Congress– Shabbir Ali is taking on Chandrababu Naidu demanding his resignation, stressing that NTR’s soul will be at peace in case Balakrishna is adorned as Andhra’s CM. He even lashed out at K Chandrashekar Rao and said that he would launch a movement against anti-farmer policies of KCR Government.
Sources said that Congress leaders apparently want to back on this issue and are reportedly discussing their strategies on attacking two political parties with a single sword. Will Congress emerge victorious in its attempt? Can it vie for top slot in two states? Let us wait and watch as Rahul Gandhi is likely to tour Andhra Pradesh this month.
Barely a day after Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s alleged tapes went viral on the electronic media, TDP cadre plunged into action. Several FIRs have reportedly been filed against Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekara Rao for allegedly defaming their party supremo and chief minister. The first report is presumably filed at Vijayawada, the city where Babu is scheduled to hold a massive public meeting.
It is known that Andhra Pradesh Government’s media advisor Parakala Prabhakar said they (the government) would see an end. It now looks like the dramatic changes that are being taking place in AP are first action measures.
Also, the TDP cadre is alleging that any official, who requires to tap telephonic conversations, need to seek the permission of the Centre, which didn’t take place in this particular place. How KCR is going to come down on these reactions is now a million dollar question.