Political Diary

TDP MLA from Kovvur TV Ramarao, who is facing rape-cummurder charge, broke down at the Raj Bhavan here on Thursday and touched the feet of Governor ND Tewari seeking justice. Nonetheless, the State Government is all set to take action against the legislator immediately after the CID submits its report. The police may arrest Ramarao, if there is evidence against him.
‘‘The CID will submit its report soon. If there is evidence against the MLA, the police will have to take action against him,’’ Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy told Express. She, however, did not say when the CID would submit its report. ‘‘I spoke to the DGP this morning and he told me that the CID was yet to submit the report,’’ she said.
The CID had recorded the statement of five Kerala students from Spruha Nursing College owned by Ramarao.Meanwhile, a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) delegation led by its president N Chandrababu Naidu submitted a memorandum to the Governor and requested him to ensure justice for Ramarao. Speaking to reporters later, Naidu warned the State Government of serious consequences, if its MLA was arrested. ‘‘The State Government is trying to lure Opposition leaders with money and is even threatening some leaders,’’ he alleged.
In the memorandum submitted to the Governor, Naidu accused the State Government of resorting to ‘political vendetta’ against Ramarao by implicating him in a criminal case. It had shamelessly enacted another drama, ‘managing’ the students from Kerala and persuading them to lodge a complaint against Ramarao before the Home Minister, the TDP stated in the memorandum.
It alleged that Congress leaders had accompanied CID officials to persuade the students to enact the drama.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today asked Rural Development Minister Vatti Vasantha Kumar to give top priority to the Abhayahastham Programme and work on a mission-mode to implement the programme on schedule.
He wanted the Minister to guide the officers to work with zeal to make the programme a role model in the country.He also wanted the officials of the Rural Development Department and Special Officer Abhayahastham B Rajasekhar to speed up the preparatory works for handing over of individual policy to one crore women by November one, 2009.
The ’Abhayahastham’ is meant to give all the women SHG members life-long pension providing financial stability and security in old age.
Under the scheme, the contribution of the member and co-contribution of the government are periodically transferred to Life Insurance Corporation of India for investing diligently for securing better returns on the investment.
The corpus thus generated till the age of 60 years of the individual contributor will be used for giving monthly pension amount to each woman on her crossing 60 years.In order to secure reasonable level of monthly pension, the government has assured that every woman will receive Rs 500 or more every month, on crossing 60 years of age till her death.
A woman joining Abhayahastham at the age of 18 will be able to draw estimated amount of Rs 2,200 per month pension on crossing 60 years of age.In the event of her natural death, Rs 30,000 is paid to the nominee.
In the event of her accidental death, Rs 75,000 is paid to her nominee. On permanent disability, Rs 75,000 is paid to her. In case of partial disability, Rs 37,500 is paid to her.The government had made provision of Rs 365 crore in the 2009-10 Budget Estimates towards State Government’s Co-contribution and released first quarter amount of Rs 91.25 crore.

Finally, TRS seems to be in the process of a complete change as new strategies are being worked out to rejuvenate the party which has been reeling under the problem of rebellion from within.
Party president K Chandrasekhar Rao, who promised to introduce collective leadership and take the movement of separate Telangana forward, has now come up with a three-pronged strategy, "sensitisation, agitation and political process."
According to a TRS leader, after receiving numerous suggestions from the party leaders and Telangana ideologues regarding strengthening the party, Chandrasekhar Rao came up with this new strategy and the slogan, "go to basics with collective leadership".
The objective of the strategy is to unite all Telangana forces by organising combined agitational programmes on peoples issues. As part of the political strategy, KCR wants to pursue the Telangana issue with national leaders of different parties including Congress as and when necessary.
KCR, who was concentrating on meeting different party leaders in New Delhi for the last five years, now wants to raise the issue in Parliament during the ongoing session. TRS would also invite all pro-Telangana parties to join the agitations at state and national level.
TRS proposes to launch its first offensive with the region getting affected by projects on Godavari and Krishna being constructed by upper riparian states like Maharashtra and Karnataka. It will also agitate on denial of the due share of water to Telangana and the attempts of the government to sell valuable land to private people.
The other issues on the agenda are unemployment and cultural onslaught by vested interests. Sources said people of Telangana will be sensitised through regular door-to-door campaign.
As part of the preparatory programme, KCR has been holding meetings with TRS leaders in Karimnagar for the last one week on the measures to be taken to strengthen the party. KCR, who would be back in Hyderabad on Thursday, will hold a meeting with party senior leaders to finalise the new action plan.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy turned 60 Wednesday and his supporters and Congress workers celebrated the occasion on a grand scale though he was holidaying in Goa.
Taking a break from hectic political life, YSR, as he is known, is spending the day with his wife Vijayalakshmi, son and MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and other family members in Goa.
YSR took oath as chief minister for a second consecutive term in May.Congress workers celebrated the chief minister’s birthday by cutting cakes in different parts of the state. His supporters fed the poor and gave away fruits to patients at hospitals.

The Andhra Pradesh government today announced promotion of 17 IAS officers.
According to an official press release issued here, most of the officers were either re-designated or promoted to better positions in their existing or other departments.The list included Mr Gopala Krishna Dwivedi, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate, East Godavari district, who has been promoted to the rank of secretary from existing additional secretary rank.
Mr A Koteswara Rao, IAS, Director, B C Welfare, Hyderabad was re-designated as Commissioner, B C Welfare, Hyderabad, while Mr B Venkateswara Rao, IAS was promoted as Secretary, State Election Commission.
Mr C Parthasarathi, IAS, Special Commissioner, I&PR and EO Additional Secretary to Government, G A (I&PR) Department was re-designated as Commissioner, I&PR and EO Secretary to Government GA (I&PR) Department relieving R M Gonela, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government (Poll), General Administration Department from the additional charge.
Female officers included Ms Y V Anuradha, IAS Director, Women development and Child Welfare, Hyderabad, who was re-designated as Commissioner, Women Development and Child Welfare, Hyderabad.Ms B Udayalakshmi, IAS, has been promoted as Vice Chairman and Managing Director, AP State Civil Supplies Corporation, Hyderabad, while Ms K Damayanthi, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate Mahabubnagar District has been promoted to Secretary rank.
Mr V N Vishnu, IAS, has been made Vice Chairman, Visakhapatnam, Urban Development Authority.
Mr M Subrahmanyam, IAS, Director, Civil Supplies, and E O, Additional Secretary to Government, Food, CS and CA Department has been re-designated as Special Commissioner, civil supplies and EO Special Secretary to government , Food, CS and CA department.
Mr RV Chandravadan, IAS has been made Project Director, AP AIDS Control Society, Hyderabad.
On promotion to supertime scale of IAS, M V Satyanarayana, Additional Secretary to Government, School Education Department has been transferred and his services were placed at the disposal of Industries and Commerce Department for appointment as Chief Executive Officer, AP Khadi and Village Industries Board, Hyderabad in the existing vacancy, the release added.

The chances of the ruling Congress party to capture the district zilla parishad have brightened with the joining of 12 ZP territorial constituency (ZPTC) members belonging to TDP into the Congress in the presence of chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Sources said Congress MLC Preemsagar Rao led the TDP ZPTC members to the CM. "Preemsagar was instrumental in wooing the TDP leaders into the Congress fold," a source said. The TDP’s strength has come down to 21, while the Congress numbers have gone up to 29 in the 52-member house.

The Prajarajyam party on Sunday reacted sharply to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s allegations that PRP had a tacit understanding with the Congress party during the recently held elections and asked him come up with proof to support his allegations.
Party leaders C Ramchandraiah and Vasireddy Padma came down heavily on the TDP president and questioned his state of mind in the wake of TDP’s defeat in the general elections. "Had it not been for Prajarajyam, TDP’s performance would have been still worse. It is surprising that Naidu does not want any other party in the political arena," they said.
The PRP leaders asked Naidu to explain why his party candidates joined hands with Congress nominees in Tirupati and Palacole from where PRP president K Chiranjeevi contested the recent elections. "The TDP chief is yet to come to terms with the recent loss of the party in the elections. He should refrain from making allegations that did not behold his stature.
All these statements reflect signs of desperation," they observed.The PRP leaders asked Naidu to limit himself to his party and not take the liberty of blaming PRP for his miseries.