Sonia lays foundation for IIT at Kandi
0 commentsCalling upon the youth to fulfil the dreams of Jawaharlal Nehru, she said the country needs a large number of youngsters with scientific temper. The UPA government had put greater emphasis on higher education and had pumped in huge funds as it believes that professional and technical courses should be within the reach of the common man and should not remain a prerogative of the rich.
“No boy or girl should be denied access to higher education, and with this objective the UPA government encouraged banks to give more liberal loans,’’ she said. “Though the government had done a lot to spread higher education, still a lot more needs to be done. From a mere 20 universities at the time of Independence, the country now has grown to have 416 universities. Similarly, the number of colleges at the time of Independence was just 500 whereas now we have over 21,000,’’ she said. Sonia said the government has chalked out a plan to open 30 new central universities, 8 IITs, 7 IIMs and 10 NIITs in the next three years.
Chiru family to launch TV news channel
0 commentsThe Chiranjeevi family already has a minority stake in ‘Maa TV’, and the news channel of the same name will be completely owned and run by the megastar’s family. The licence for the news channel was secured almost a year ago and the owners of ‘Maa TV’ have no objection in leasing it to the Chiru family, the sources said. The new channel will operate from the ‘Maa TV’ building in Panjagutta. According to the sources, Chiranjeevi was prompted to launch a news channel after realising that the existing local channels are not giving adequate coverage to his political campaigns and roadshows across the state. ETV is identified with the TDP. And chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has got his son Jaganmohan Reddy running the ‘Sakshi TV’ channel and the multi-edition daily newspaper ‘Sakshi’. When it comes to Prajarajyam, the news channels are limiting themselves to showing few second clips of Chiranjeevi and Pavan Kalyan. Therefore, we have decided to start a news channel which will project Chiranjeevi as the protagonist of change and social justice, party sources said.
Party sources said a team of people are working on the project and that it will be ready in a fortnight’s time. Either P Mitra or P Prabhakar will be made in-charge of the channel, the sources said, adding that the channel will project the ideology of the PRP and promote the party as the only alternative to the ruling Congress party.
Another grouse of the Prajarajyam loyalists is that the local media gave extensive coverage to Chiranjeevi when he entered the political field. “But after that, the coverage has been focused on internal bickering in the district committees, organizational deficiencies and other minor lapses thanon the message of the leader. Thus, even as the election bugle is close to being sounded, Chiranjeevi will not be far behind in the media coverage,” one PRP leader said.
Civil society turns election watchdog
0 commentsHeading the poll perestroika brigade are veteran election officials and top bureaucrats like J M Lyngdoh, K J Rao, E A S Sarma, Prof Trilochan Sastri, Justice Ambati Laxman Rao, B P R Vittal and K R Venugopal, who believe strengthening of the democratic foundation is possible only through greater accountability and transparency in the electoral process.
But what’s the provocation to step in as an election watchdog this time round? Apparently experts see Rayalaseema as a major trouble spot in this year’s election. “The situation in the region could be as bad as in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh,” an analyst averred. Former CEC Lyngdoh has already sounded the warning bugle that Rayalaseema constituencies are an area of concern that need a close watch.
Ironically, Rayalaseema is the hotbed from where the heavy weights in the AP political arena - Rajasekhara Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu and Chiranjeevi - will be in the fray. So what does one do to stem the rot? Though Lok Satta had initiated the process to raise awareness on poll-related irregularities, its efforts petered out once it became a full-fledged party.
This is when the state-level forum, ‘Ennikala Nigha Vedika’ (ENV) stepped in. A conglomeration of various NGOs like Samatha, Forum for a Better Visakha (FBV), Forum for a Better Hyderabad (FBH), intellectuals, ex-bureaucrats, scientists and concerned citizens, ENV will act as a means to enforce civilian involvement in the electoral process. “This watchdog role is aimed at improving the quality of elections and its conduct,” a spokesman of ENV said.
Not only in Rayalaseema, ENV is set to reach out to all regions in the state with the participation of locals. “An election watch forum has been floated at Bapatla in Guntur district with an objective to educate and empower voters,” its convener P C Sai Babu said.
EAS Sarma, former Union power secretary, stresses the need to set up a system to ensure that the election machinery for the coming elections functions impartially and to see that the elections for the Assembly and Parliament are conducted in the best traditions of a healthy democracy. The FBV, for which he is the conveyor, is holding a meeting in Vizag to discuss the issues of ‘election watch’ in the region with NGOs and RTI activists Welcoming the civic society’s initiative to keep a watch on the conduct of elections, former secretary to Election Commission K J Rao said people should join the movement in a big way. “Distribution of liquor by candidates on the eve of elections is a menace in the state.
This can be curbed only when the people are vigilant and the official machinery is impartial,” he observed. Deploying electoral officials from outside is the only way out, opined Rao, who has earned a name for himself for the smooth conduct of Bihar polls. Experts said not only do voters have the right to know the educational, financial and criminal background of the candidates contesting the elections, but they also have a right to reject a candidate. “If the voters feel that no candidate in the fray is fair, he can go to the polling station and inform the presiding officer that he is not interested in voting for anybody,” Sarma said. This right was given to the voter under Section 49(O) of Election Rules-1969. “If the number of these rejected votes are more than the votes polled by any candidate, then the election gets cancelled,” he said.
Rao said their effort is to ensure that the elections are conducted in a spirit of inclusiveness and fairness. It remains to be seen whether the ENV exercise would be a flash in the pan or it would work for the society’s good.
Grand Alliance leaders arrested
0 commentsMr Naidu Mr Narayana, Mr Raghavulu and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leader Nayani Narasimha Reddy were taken to Ghoshamahal Stadium.Similar ’Jail Bharo’ programmes were organised by the Grand Alliance at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and other places, alleging ’rampant corruption’ in the state.
A report from Kakinada said around 66 workers of TDP and its Left allies were arrested when they staged dharna as a part of their jail bharo stir in front of the Collectorate.The demonstrators squatted in front of the Collectorate’s main gate, obstructing the employees’ entry. The arrested include former TDP MLA Vanamadi Venkateswerarao, CPI city unit secretary T Madhu and CPI(M) district-unit secretary Dadala Subbarao.
Devender GOud’s NTP in Chiru Party.
0 commentsThe Nava Telangana Party, launched by the former Telugu Desam leader, Mr T. Devender Goud, merged with the Praja Rajyam on Thursday in the presence of Chiranjeevi. The NTP leaders took the PR membership along with Mr Goud.Speaking on the occasion, Chiranjeevi launched a scathing attack on the TRS chief Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi asked the TRS chief, Mr Rao, why he joined hands with the TD, even though the PR was willing to give more number of seats to the pink party.He further wanted to know what prompted Mr Rao to align with the TD-led alliance, in which the CPI(M), an opponent of Telangana, was also a member.Mr Chiranjeevi alleged that the TD-led Grand Alliance was formed with the parties which had no ideological similarities.
“It is an alliance of upper caste leaders who are not bothered about the formation of a social Telangana. All the leaders are power hungry,” the PR chief alleged.People will teach the Maaya Kutami (deceptive alliance) a fitting lesson in the polls, he remarked.“Apart from ideological dissimilarities, they are also fighting over the seat-sharing issue. The alliance will surely collapse soon,” the PR chief predicted.
He accused Mr Chandrasekhar Rao of using the Telangana issue for gaining political mileage. “Mr Rao does not want formation of Telangana. For him the issue is a weapon to hog political limelight,” Chiranjeevi said.Chiranjeevi said Telangana was not a backward region but it was made one by successive governments which ruled the state so far.
Chiranjeevi and Praja Rajyam harp on change.
0 commentsPeople staying near Praja Rajyam offices in the city are at their wits’ end because of the constant din and bustle. The misbehaviour of party workers and the scaling of their walls by wide-eyed Chiranjeevi fans are adding to their distress.Chiranjeevi and Praja Rajyam harp on change. But residents in Road No. 46 in Jubilee Hills, Mastan Nagar and Krishna Nagar in Yousufguda are only keen on a change in the location of the party offices. In fact, three families have already moved out of Road No. 46 unable to bear the noise.
The Praja Rajyam office reverberates with the sound of crackers and speakers throughout the day. Further, there is continuous movement of vehicles, haphazard parking and attendant traffic jams.“It has destroyed our peace,” said Mr D.V. Shiva Prasad, who stays right in front of Praja Rajyam office. “I wonder how the officials allowed opening party offices in residential areas.”With elections nearing, the rush of visitors and vehicles and the din has increased manifold. Supporters of leaders come in huge trucks and buses and park them wherever they like. “We have made requests to Chir-anjeevi to control his fans and visitors,” said Mr R.
Yuva Rajyam chief Pavan Kalyan confident of PRP victory
0 commentsCongress groups join hands to make rally
0 commentsThe tribal rally, to be addressed by AICC president Sonia Gandhi at Kothagudem on Friday, is aimed at galvanising the party and put the cadre into action. By all means it is going to give a kickstart to the election campaign in the region.She could unite the district leadership that was plagued by dissensions well before her visit. The loyalists of the Union Minister of State for Woman and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury and the followers of Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sambhani Chandra Sekhar have started working together to make the programme a success.
The Minister for Vaidya Vidhana Parishad, Vanama Venkateswar Rao, who is lucky to have the public meeting in his constituency, will be the major beneficiary. All the leaders in coordination with the district in-charge Minister, D. S. Redya Naik have been campaigning in the tribal pockets to mobilise koyas, konda reddies -- the primitive tribal groups from the forest habitations on the Godavari banks. The party leaders made an appeal to the tribes to attend the rally in their traditional attire.
‘We are all one’
“When it matters Ms. Sonia and the interests of the party, we are all one,” says Jalagam Venkat Rao, MLA from Sathupalli. He said that the rally would help the UPA chairperson to have the right feedback on the implementation of two major schemes -- the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (recognition of rights) Act , 2006 and the NREGS.P. Sudhakar Reddy, AICC secretary and MLC, said that the rally would mark the culmination of a phase of great development in the State.
Almost every section is happy, thanks to the individual benefits reaching the poorer sections in the form of housing, pensions, loan waiver and a host of other schemes.Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, MLC, said that the people benefited by the welfare measures were out to re-endorse their support to the leadership of Ms. Sonia Gandhi. Source-the hindu
Praja Chaitanya Yatra of the TDP
0 commentsCm plans ‘bus yatra’
0 commentsThis time, he is toying with the idea of covering not only all these constituencies but touching the remaining 134 as well. The exact dates of the yatra would be finalised some time next week. The yatra would be much on the lines of the road shows already undertaken by Dr. Reddy recently.
Pep talkThe proposed ‘bus yatra’ figured at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Dr. Reddy is said to have preferred ‘bus yatra’ coupled with public meetings during the election campaign. During the two-hour meeting, Dr. Reddy is believed to have given a pep talk to his colleagues, assuring several party legislators, who are likely to be dropped or lose their seats because of delimitation, that they would be given alternative posts.
He reportedly pointed out that three surveys commissioned by ORG-MARG, CNN IBN and an independent agency indicated improved positive vote in favour of the ruling party, as there was no anti-incumbency factor. He predicted that the party would win 150 seats in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions and another 80 in Telangana:source-the hindu
No common symbol for Chiru’s Praja rajyam party?
0 commentsThe Election Commission is to approach the Andhra Pradesh High Court to defend its decision of not allotting a common symbol for Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party.The EC had refused a symbol for the party on February 3 saying that it was not yet a recognised political party.
Chiranjeevi had earlier met the Chief Election Commissioner, N. Gopalaswami, and sought the railway engine symbol. He also moved the HC citing examples where certain parties were given symbols even though they were not recognized. The HC forwarded the proposal to the EC.The Praja Rajyam Party is awaiting a High Court directive to EC to allot a common symbol to it.
Grand alliance has no common ideology
0 commentsAddressing public meetings after inaugurating new schemes and laying foundation stones for various developmental works worth Rs 300 crore at Mandamarri and Asifabad areas on Monday, the chief minister appealed to the public to give the alliance a befitting lesson in the elections.
In Goleti town, YSR promised the mine workers that the coal mine would not be closed. Earlier, the CM inaugurated the Ralla Vagu lift irrigation project and laid the foundation stone for the Komaram Bheem right canal works.
Opp 'jail bharo' stir targets CM, son
0 commentsThe leaders who returned to the state capital after extensively briefing President Pratibha Patil and others in New Delhi about the allegations against the chief minister and his son, held meetings with executive members of their parties and sent directions to the district units to get ready for the agitation.
TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu flagged off a team of party workers on a "Danda Yatra" to Kadapa to coordinate with the district unit and organise agitations against "corruption by the chief minister and his family." Naidu himself and leaders of Left parties are also planning to go to Kadapa to participate in the agitation.
Addressing the party workers, here, Naidu said: "It is not enough if the leaders of various parties raise a hue and cry on the corruption by the present rulers and shout that they were "looting the state," people should also react and take necessary measures and teach them a lesson during polls". He added: "The intelligentsia should analyse the situation, come out of houses and teach the ruling party a lesson by exercising their franchise on the day of elections".
Analysts said that with this move, Rajasekhara Reddy who has hitherto treated corruption as a non-issue, would surely be put on the backfoot. But how much political capital that the grand alliance would be able to make would depend on how sustained the programme could be. "Braving lathis of the police and the wrath of the administration is not an easy thing for the cadres. It has to be seen how much the cadres are enthused," analysts said.
CPM leader B V Raghavulu said that during their three day stay in Delhi they met all the national leaders including the President of India and explained in detail about the manner in which money laundering has been done in the state. He said Leader of Opposition L K Advani assured them that the BJP too would extend support in fighting corruption. In fact, the BJP joined TDP and Left party MPs when they raised the issue in Lok Sabha.
According to TRS leader E Rajender, the dharna held at Jantar Mantar had helped in focussing the attention of the national leaders and media towards the corruption in the state. He said even AICC had taken note of their campaign in NewDelhi and has asked Congress MP U Arun Kumar to start a counter-campaign in the state.
Goud's NTP to merge with PRP
0 commentsWhile the official reason for the merger is said to be common ideology of the two parties--social justice and separate Telangana, the reality is that Goud has been finding it difficult to run the party as it had failed to create the kind of impact he expected before he quit TDP in June 23, 2008.
It may be mentioned here that before starting his own party Goud was a strong leader in TDP and from the position of ZP chairperson he rose to become virtually number two in TDP. He was also the revenue, panchayati raj and home minister during TDP regime under N Chandrababu Naidu. He was also the TDP deputy leader in the state assembly and used to share the seat of opposition leader in the assembly with Naidu.
While the TDP had constituted a committee to recommend the stand it should take on separate Telangana, Goud quit TDP alleging that it was anti-Telangana and floated his own outfit. But contrary to his expectations, except E Peddi Reddy, a former minister, no other leader went with him. Even the cadre did not desert TDP.
Since then, Goud had made several attempts to strike an alliance with TRS, PRP and even BJP. Now finally, Goud is said to have been assured by PRP leader Chiranjeevi that the party would include the promise of supporting separate Telangana in its manifesto. This was preceded by several rounds of talks between Chiranjeevi and Goud, NTP sources told TOI.
Once the merger is formalised, Goud is likely to get a key position in PRP and will contest polls on PRP symbol. Party sources say that Goud is keen to contest from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency and jump to national politics. So far he has represented Medchal assembly constituency in Ranga Reddy district. Sources said he is likely to be named as in charge of party's Telangana affairs committee.