Political Diary

POLITICAL GRAPH
Dr. Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, is acclaimed, both by the National and the International figures that ever visited the State, as the best blend of an able administrator and the most loved leader of the masses. A go-getter to the core, Dr. YSR is known for his unflinching grit, steadfast determination and never wavering boldness in translating his vision into reality.
A PERFECT BALANCE
Having a clear vision is something and striving to make it a veracity is yet anotherthing. Dr. YSR has both the things in him. His policies of accentuated significance of agriculture on one side and making a provision for appropriate importance for the industrial sector on the other, stand as a proof of these two things in him. While allocating Lion’s share of the State’s funds for the Irrigation sector. Dr. YSR also endeavored his best to rope in the key industrial activity by offering a number of bounties to investors.
By doing so Dr. YSR could successfully relieve the State reeling under the economic drought situation caused by the earlier regime in the name of a disinvestment process. This posture alone speaks volumes of his way of getting things done. For the last two years, as CM of Andhra Pradesh,Dr. YSR has been successfully pushing forth the priorities of multi pronged economic strategy with a thrust on rural sector. Free power to the mute millions of the State - comprising almost 80 per cent of the State’s population - that have been surviving on agriculture, testifes his commitment to his own promises. The greatest achievement of Dr. YSR, that any biographer to come could never miss to highlight, is providing a human angle to the heartless mechanism of the state. The confidence his government could induce into the marrows of the farming community makes every Telugu man proud. Today, if the Congress rule in A.P. is known as ‘The Farmers’ regime’ all over the world, it is but for this very reason. Another feather on Dr.YSR’s cap is winning the hearts of the hardcore advocates against the Free Power Supply to the favour of farmers of our State by presenting before them an invincible brief. The Prime Minister of India Dr.Manmohan Singh recently showered the choicest encomiums on Dr. YSR, the Chief Minister, for his “balanced approach toward the development of industry and agriculture in the State”. It stands doubly relevant here as Dr. Singh happens to be an internationally renowned Economist too. It is everyone’s knowledge that such a stance is rather mandatory and imperative for the accelerated growth of a dynamic and kicking economy like ours. Planners in India and abroad were at tandem in acknowledging Dr.YSR’s “exceptional discretion as a policy maker” in contributing his best for the healthy growth of the key and vital sectors of our economy; namely the Agriculture and the Industry.
A RAITHU BIDDA
Agriculture forms the core of Dr.YSR’s world of thinking. Although a Physician by profession,Dr.YSR is basically a son of the soil; a RAITHU BIDDA in its true sense. Hailing from a drought hit region - the Rayala Seema - he knows the real value of every drop of water. This is the very reason for his taking up the cause of farmers as a young legislator. He has always been in the forefront of leading several struggles for irrigation projects. After essaying the role of a policy maker Dr.YSR has been translating his dream of providing water for the thirsty fields into a reality.In pursuing his wish of transforming our state into a greener one - the dream of a HARITHANDHRAPRADESH - Dr.YSR allocated in the first Two years of his rule a sum of Rs.16000 Crore for building irrigation projects. Providing Houses for the homeless is yet another area which occupies a crucial importance in Dr.YSR’s priorities. He allocated morethan 500 crores of Rupees for this sector alone.
Basing on his personal interaction with the old and the aged people of the rural areas during the Prajaprasthanam Padayatra,Dr.YSR enhanced Old age pensions for the needy. This is a rare stance found in the age of political consumerism where the leaders bury their past experience as soon as they get elected to plum positions. Distributing Government lands admeasuring morethan 300000 acres to landless poor is another welfare measure that stands as a sound proof of the humane face of Dr.YSR’s Ministry. A conscientious congressman, Dr.YSR has won the accolades from his friends and foes alike as a warm blooded and cool-headed man of masses. Honesty is not a virtue that was cultivated by him for years; it is rather his second nature. The way in which Dr. YSR stood loyal to his election manifesto stands as a testimony for this statement. Of late Dr. YSR, the fresh ‘Role Model’ in demand, evolved himself into national proportions if not international.
An Eventful Career
Dr. YSR is into active politics since a quarter of a century and has been representing his party ondifferent fora. He was elected to Loksabha from Kadapa constituency for four times and got elected to A.P. Assembly for four times from Pulivendula constituency. Dr.YSR, the legislator, fought many a battle on the floor of Assembly and outsmarted his rivals on every account. His Five year stint as the leader of the opposition in the State’s Assembly has brought out the best of his oratorical art and arguementative skills. He remains one of those very few politicians around who never lost an election. Dr. YSR’s role as an MLA in getting Tungabhadra water for Pulivendula Branch Canal (PBC) and fighting for projects like RTPP (Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant) at Muddanur, and Proddatur Milk Foods and its ancilaries, Milk chilling plants at various locations in always remembered.
As the president of PCC for twice, Dr. YSR rendered yeomen services to the party in regaining the faith and trust of the masses. This in turn made him the most acceptable leader of the people from every corner of the State.
As the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy stands as an example forthe down-to-earth administrative capacities while efficiently serving the interests of the people at large.
THE PROMISE
“Tell me what you did yester day, I’ll tell what you would be doing tomorrow”, said a wiseman ofthe West. If one goes thro’ the eventful track record of Dr.YSR, it won’t be of any difficulty for him to assess the brighter future waiting on the wings of time. Dr.YSR, the Chief Minister, continues to provide the very same “Pint of confidence”, that he relayed during his PRAJAPRASTHANAM PADA YATRA to the losing hearts of the farming community. This promise is taking definit shape in the 30 irrigation projects under construction in different parts of the State. All the irrigation sources in the State hitherto were able to provide water for an extent of Seven Million acres only, while the 26+4 irrigation projects initiated by Dr.YSR’s Ministry will be providing water for another Seven Millions of acres. This single fact stands as an evidence to the bright future to be unfurled by Dr.YSR, the CHIEF MINISTER with a difference.
PERSONAL SKETCH
Dr. Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, is acclaimed - both by the National and the International figures that ever visited the State- as the best blend of an able administrator and the most loved leader of the masses. A family man to the core, Dr.YSR, rates the spirit of togetherness as the greatest cementing agent of Indian familial and social life.
Back ground
Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy hails from Pulivendula, a small town in Kadapa district of the backward Rayala Seema region. He comes from a family which stood for the cause of the downtrodden masses for generations daring the wrath of feudal lords of Kadapa district. His father Late Shree Y.S.Raja Reddy was known for his daredevilish temperament and mercurialdynamism as a leader of the forlorn masses. Dr.YSR inherited these qualities from his father to emerge as a darling of the deprived in our State. Shree Y.S.Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of Dr.YSR, also his “Man Friday”, got elected as a Samithi President, twice as MLA, twice as Member of Parliament from Kadapa Loksabha constituency who forms the main source of strength for Dr. YSR in and around the District.
Legacy
Second son of Sri Raja Reddy, YSR - born on Eighth of July 1949 - was a natural heir to his father’s legacy. His father had always been a source of inspiration for YSR since his childhood. It was none other than Sri Raja Reddy who led YSR into active politics. If YSR had any role model in his earlier days it was his father. His brutal murder in 1998 inflicted a deep injury and left a dark scar on YSR’s heart. Graduated in medical science from M.R. College of Gulbarga, Dr. YSR practised medicine for sometime in the District. The hospital his father built for him at Pulivendula is still running. The YS family has also built and ran a degree college and a Polytechnic College at Pulivendula, for a few years which was laterhanded over to the Loyola Group of Educational Instituitions.Another junior college at Simhadripuram, a small town in the vicinity of Pulivendula, is being run by YS family.
Disciplinarian
YSR, a disciplinarian to the core, gets up in the early hours and prepares himself for the grueling long day stretching for 16-17 hours. A health and hygiene conscious person he is, YSR is very particular about physical culture, yoga and meditation. A weightifter in his student days, his strong conviction is “A sound soul in a sound body”. YSR keeps on to his appointments on the dot while he never spared any one for complacence in this regard. Not many people know that YSR is keenly interested in reading fiction in English. He has a particular liking for light-reading material. He complains to his friends against his being deprived of the pleasure of reading. But, everything has its place in the disciplinarian’s world.
Family
YSR is married to Smt. Vijayalakshmi in 1971 and is blessed with a son and a daughter. A proud-dad he is, YSR enjoys the company of his grand children to the brim- needless to mention here that he rarely finds any time to spare for his family members. His busy schedule hardly allows him to steal a few moments for his family. YSR’s son emerged a successful entrepreneur to the utmost pleasure of his father. Son Jagan Mohana Reddy, daughter Sharmila, and their children enjoy a very special place in YSR’s world.

Congratulating chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on coming back to power in the state, opposition leader and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday suggested that the state government implement the cash transfer scheme (CTS), which was the his party’s main electoral plank in the 2009 election.
Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address in the Assembly, Naidu said the cash transfer was among the best schemes to empower poor and middle class women economically. “This can be implemented in an effective manner by using the existing information technology and strong banking network. We thought the CTS would help us come to power. But it was not to be. The TDP will take up the CTS if it comes to power in the next election but you can implement the same in the meantime and empower the poor economically,” he said.
Asserting that it was time the chief minister kept his promises on several issues including Telangana, the TDP chief pointed out that in the governor’s address, it was mentioned that the people rejected politics of divisiveness and negativism.
“But the state government constituted a committee headed by finance minister K Rosaiah to look into the Telangana issue. The CM should clarify on what grounds the committee was set up while maintaining that there was no demand for a separate state,” Naidu said. He said he expected some change in the CM’s attitude after assuming charge for the second time. “However, the way he re-instated S S P Yadav as DGP within 24 hours of taking over showed he has not changed. Correct yourself and prove your credibility,” he said.
This could be done by putting a stop to selling government land, getting from the Centre national project status for five irrigation projects and stopping Maharashtra from taking up the Babli project. “We as the opposition are ready to assist the state in getting more funds from the Centre,” he said.
The opposition leader also demanded that the state government send a team to Australia to study the problems being faced by students from AP in the wake of the recent racial attacks. Naidu also demanded a five-day week for state government employees.

The Legislative Assembly on Tuesday was agog with rumours that TDP MLA from Kovur in Nellore district, N Prasanna Kumar Reddy, was contemplating to quit Telugu Desam and join Congress.
The rumour spread like wild fire as Prasanna Kumar distributed a letter which he said he had written to party president N Chandrababu Naidu. In the letter, Reddy has advised Naidu to be wary of `chamchas’ and `buffoons’ who had "surrounded him and giving wrong advice leading to hasty decisions on important issues."
The stand adopted by the TDP during the election of the Speaker was an example, he said. TDP’s decision to oppose the candidature of Kiran Kumar Reddy and Naidu refusing to deliver the customary speech hailing the new Speaker had caused immense damage to the party’s image, the TDP MLA said. He also criticised Naidu’s decision to ask Ashok Gajapati Raju to speak on the occasion. Raju is not fluent in Telugu and that causes problems as he is misunderstood by the ruling party members, Prasanna Kumar added.
He also alleged that Naidu was giving importance to those who hang around his residence and office and do `chamchagiri’. Reddy gave credit to N Balakrishna and Jr NTR for the party winning 92 seats and urged that their services be recognised and given importance in the party. "If we do not correct our past mistakes and change people will not pardon us," he said.

Nadendla Manohar of the ruling Congress party was Tuesday unanimously elected as deputy speaker of Andhra Pradesh state legislative assembly.
Manohar, son of former chief minister Nadendla Bhaskar Rao, represents Tenali constituency in Guntur district.Manohar, a two-time legislator, was among the panel speakers in the last assembly and was also chairman of the assembly library committee. He is an economics graduate and did his MBA in marketing.
Since he was the only one to file nomination for the post, the speaker announced his election unopposed.Unlike the election of speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy, the entire opposition backed Manohar as the deputy speaker.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and leaders of opposition parties escorted Manohar to the chair. Leaders of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) also joined them.
Breaking the convention, TDP and TRS leaders had stayed away from escorting Kiran Kumar to the chair when he was elected unopposed as the speaker on June 4. TDP had taken exception to the manner in which Congress party nominated him without consulting the opposition parties.

Congress legislator Dronamraju Srinivas Rao today said Governor N D Tiwari’s address to the 13th Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly yesterday, had reflected the Congress government’s achievements during the last five years in the state.
While participating in the debate after moving the motion on address by the Governor, which was seconded by Government Chief Whip Mall Bhatti Vikramakra in the Assembly, he said the people had accepted the developmental and welfare schemes launched by the government during the last five years by reposing faith on the government and voting it back to power.
Urging the opposition parties, especially the Telugu Desam Party, to support the various welfare programmes initiated by the government instead of criticising for political mileage, Mr Rao said the opposition could point out any lapses on the part of the government in implementing the schemes with their constructive criticism.
Detailing various welfare and developmental programmes like Aarogya Sri Health Insurance Scheme, pensions to aged, widow and physically handicapped, distribution of rice to poor people at Rs two a kg, fees reimbursement to backward classes students and minorities, he said the people had not trusted the opposition parties’ promises of cash transfer and distribution of colour TV sets during the election.

The government is using its poor financial position to cut the purse strings of MLAs and their aides, in a move aimed at keeping Opposition legislators out of the development pie.
The government has decided to scrap the Rs 90 lakh given to each mandal for its development. In practice, the money is given to the panchayat raj department. Local legislators and their groupies then recommend work in their constituencies, and take credit for it.
Each Assembly constituency has on average four mandals, meaning each legislator could play around with at least Rs 3.6 crore. It was all fine in the previous Assembly, where the Congress had a massive majority: Most of the credit for the work at the local level went to the ruling party. This time, however, the Opposition strength is 130. Meaning, Opposition MLAs will have crores of government money to spend and garner publicity.
“Why should we spend the money and give credit to the others,” a minister said. The decision to cut the fund was taken by the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S Rajasekhar Reddy, who has been been reviewing the financial position almost daily with the finance minister, Mr K. Rosaiah.
Even last year the government did not allot almost Rs 150 crore for the Assembly Constituency Development Fund covering all 294 seats. Instead, it allotted Rs 90 lakh for each mandal and paid out Rs 980 crore. But that was done with an eye on the elections this year. Even here, bills pertaining to works taken up already amounting to Rs 550 crore were not cleared.
“Unless revenues are improved, we cannot allot funds,” said a minister.

Local Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders have lodged complaints with the police that the Medak MP, Ms Vijayashanti, and Mahbubnagar MP and TRS chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, have been missing since several days. “Ms Vijayashanti promised to get a railway route, drinking water among other things when she was campaigning from here but she did not even visit the constituency after the election,” said Mr Jeevan Rao, a local TRS leader.
Earlier, another party activist had filed a complaint at Mahbubnagar police station alleging that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao was missing. The party vice-president, Ms Umadevi, hit out against the party leadership and the president, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao.
Talking to mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan, Mrs Umadevi charged the party chief of making a fortune out of the sacrifices made by the cadre. “He made the party a family affair and is now forcing party sympathisers to make sacrifices. He never bothered about the Telangana sentiment,” Ms Umadevi said.
Taken by surprise at the turn of events, the Medak MP, Ms Vijayasanthi, rushed to the Telangana Bhavan and spoke to mediapersons.
Describing the police complaints against her and the party president as “motivated by united state activists” the actor-turned-politician requested party cadre observe restraint.
“All these activities only benefit those who support a united state. It will weaken the Telangana movement. The TRS is striving to achieve its goal of a separate state and I am sure it will happen soon,” Ms Vijayashanti said. The TRS chief has decided to talk to senior leaders on Tuesday at the Telangana Bhavan. He left for Hyderabad on Monday from New Delhi .
In order to avoid mediapersons waiting before his house in Delhi , he opted to exit from the backdoor to reach the airport.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Monday distributed certificates of titles to tribal representatives hailing from all districts, as part of the implementation of the Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006.
In all, 1.28 lakh claims covering 4.44 lakh acres are to be given certificates by June 15. Tribal Welfare Minister P. Balaraju and tribal legislators were present. Coffee, rubber plantations and horticulture schemes are to be taken in the lands.
Still some claims were pending at the sub-divisional and district levels. The Collectors have been instructed to complete the scrutiny of the claims and issuing of certificates to the eligible claimants by the month-end.
The recognition and vesting of forest rights under the Act to the forest dwelling STs in respect of forest land and their habitat will be subject to the condition that they had occupied forest land before December 13, 2005

The health minister, Mr Danam Nagendar, on Monday took a leaf out of the Sri Rama Sene chief, Mr Pramod Mutalik’s book and threatened to crack down on city pubs “which were peddling drugs, encouraging obscenity and destroying Indian culture.
”It was an expose by a private TV channel of ‘obscenity’ in Novotel Excess pub in the city that seems to have outraged the minister, who is now planning to take up the issue with the Chief Minister and the home minister. “I watched the visuals of parties in Excess Pub and was pained,” he said.
“I was watching the visuals of women wearing four inch skirts in the pub and a few men lifting up those women. It was shocking. I wonder if we are in AP.” He also remained silent when asked whether he would impose restriction on how much alcohol a person should consume and how a person should dress up while in a pub.
“While the West is trying to follow our culture, it is unfortunate that our pubs are instilling western culture here,” he said.Instead, he said it was brought to his notice that drugs were also being sold in pubs. “My department will hereafter closely monitor all the pubs in the city,” he told this correspondent.
Mr Nagendar said he was taking up the issue suo moto and will ensure strict enforcement of rules. Meanwhile, the Novotel Excess pub has rubbished the allegations and said it followed the rules.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders are demanding the resignation of the party president, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, as he failed to steer the party to victory. The TRS Mahbubnagar unit president, Mr Y. Srinivasa Reddy, demanded that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao step down immediately. He alleged that Mr Rao turned the party into a family affair and ignored the Telangana movement. He demanded that Mr Rao should explain why he did not visit Mahbubnagar after the general elections.
“Mr Chandrasekhar Rao built a family dynasty under the guise of Telangana movement. He has given several tickets to family members including his son Mr K.T. Rama Rao. What is the contribution of Mr Rama Rao to the Telangana movement? What is the criteria behind the selection of candidates?” Mr Srinivasa Reddy wanted to know.
“I don’t understand why Mr Chandrasekhar Rao failed to thank the people of Mahbubnagar after being elected from there. No one knows where he is. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao is reportedly hiding in New Delhi fearing that he would face the wrath of party leaders. He did not even conduct a review after the elections. This is not the way to lead a party,” he added.
Interestingly, Mr Srinivasa Reddy held his media conference at Telangana Bhavan on Monday.

The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, on Sunday, ordered a survey by an independent agency into the levels of corruption in government departments, and gave a free hand to the Anti-Corruption Bureau to nab dishonest personnel.
The agency will study and revalidate a survey report which the Chief Minister has already acquired on corruption in government. “The report will be handed over to the ACB for action,” Dr Reddy told officials of the Bureau at a review meeting on Sunday.
“The survey will find out public perceptions on key departments,” explained a senior ACB official. The survey agency would find out public perceptions on corruption in government, rather than scrutinising files to spot graft. No private agency can inquire into government procedures or access files.
Dr Reddy told the ACB director-general that corruption in sanctioning Indiramma houses, ration cards and pensions had come to his notice, and asked for stringent action on the personnel involved.
YSR gives free hand to ACB sleuths
Dr Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy asked the ACB to step up raids and set more traps for corrupt personnel. “I am giving you a free hand to deal firmly with corrupt officials. Don’t spare anyone, however influential and mighty they may be. Continue with your good work of conducting raids and trapping corrupt officials,” the Chief Minister told the ACB director-general and other top officials.
ACB officials told the Chief Minister that there was a significant increase in the number of personnel trapped while accepting bribes, and disproportionate assets cases booked in the period from 2004-08, compared to 1995-99 and 2000-04. The ACB also achieved higher conviction rate in 2008 compared to earlier periods.
The number of trap cases booked during from 1995-99 was 575 as against 925 cases from 2004-08. The average number of trap cases booked per year works out to 115 and 185 during 1995 to 1999 and 2004 to 2008 respectively.
The ACB has undertaken more number of disproportionate assets cases compared to neighbouring states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday asked the Anti Corruption Bureau to intensify its raids against corrupt people and assured that there would be no political interference however big or influential the person might be.
Speaking at a review meeting, Reddy, who was criticised for not being tough against those indulged in corruption during his tenure last time, told the department that because of the behaviour of few individuals, the image of the government and the state was getting tarnished.
He said what had disturbed him was that despite the good efforts put in by the officials to implement the welfare programmes, the corrupt practices indulged in by few had tarnished the image of the government and had given a scope for the opposition to convert it into a politically-motivated campaign. He told the ACB that once he gets a final report from his sources, he would pass it on to the ACB for action.
Reddy said that he had commissioned a survey by an independent agency on corruption in some key sectors and based on the report, he had asked for an in-depth inquiry and once the report comes, it would be handed over to the ACB, he said.
Reddy also said that functioning of all departments should go online so that there would be greater transparency in functioning and less chances of corruption.
The ACB director general R R Girish Kumar told the chief minister that the department had achieved greater conviction rate in 2004-08 compared to earlier periods. Even the cases of disproportionate assets cases in the state was highest compared to Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the ACB added.

Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters of Telangana Rashtra Samiti, is virtually under police control since Sunday afternoon following intelligence reports that there was a possibility of attack by party rebels.
According to Banjara Hills circle inspector K Shankar Reddy they had received an intelligence alert about the possible attack on TRS office on Sunday morning. But interestingly even before the police could deploy its personnel at Telangana bhavan, E Srinivas Reddy, Mahabubnagar district unit president and one who was considered to be the right hand man of KCR in Mahabubnagar during the general elections and is credited with his victory, came down heavily on the party president on Sunday at a hurriedly-convened media conference.
In a sort of replica of what Parkala Prabhakar, the Prajarajyam spokesperson had done to Chiranjeevi just before the polls and called him as a poisonous tree, Srinivas Reddy also raised a banner of revolt against KCR and turned a bitter critic.
Demanding KCR’s resignation from the party for having failed to learn lessons from past mistakes and strengthen the party, he felt that KCR had failed the people of Telangana and lost their confidence.
He demanded that KCR quit the party owing moral responsibility for the humiliating defeat TRS had suffered. "KCR is fit for nothing. He made a mockery of Telangana movement," he said. Reddy said instead of reviewing the party’s poll debacle with party leaders, KCR went to New Delhi without informing the leaders. He did not go back to Mahabubnagar to extend gratitude to the people for electing him as MP, he said.
Charging KCR of converting the party into a family-owned firm, Srinivas Reddy said he had given priority to his relatives in the allocation of seats ignoring strong leaders. Giving MLA ticket to his son K Taraka Rama Rao from Siricilla is a case in example, he added. A strong leader K K Mahendar Reddy, who was a dedicated party worker was ignored, he said.
Similarly injustice was meted to many TRS leaders in the election and hence revolt in the party was brewing, he said.Soon after Srinivas Reddy addressed the media conference at party office and left, the police forces were sent to Telangana bhavan to prevent any possible untoward incidents. However, the party leaders continue to maintain that the party office did not receive any threat calls but fail to explain why so many policemen were present in the premises.

The Praja Rajyam chief, Mr K. Chiranjeevi, has given ample indications in the last two days that he was game for the Congress strategy to use him as a foil to weaken the Telugu Desam.
Surprising even his partymen, he announced on Friday that the PR would not contest from Tekkali if the Congress fielded a family member of Mr Revathipathi who died before taking oath. He also announced support for the Women’s Reservation Bill to be piloted by the Congress.
Though Mr Chiranjeevi told mediapersons that the decision not to field a candidate in Tekkali was taken on humanitarian grounds, most people read more into it.
“Though it is a good gesture it would have been politically prudent for us to wait for the Congress to make the first move and then announce it,” said a Praja Rajyam MLA.
Party leaders feel that Mr Chiranjeevi’s attempt to make a positive impression might give people the feeling that PR was sailing with the Congress. The Congress is delighted by the megastar’s gesture since it will make it difficult for the TD to field its candidate. Top advisers of the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, have already drawn up a strategy to counter the TD chief through Mr Chiranjeevi.
This was evident from the way the ruling party members kept thumping benches when the PR chief indirectly attacked the TD during his maiden speech in the House. Mr Chiranjeevi had found fault with Mr Naidu’s stand on the Speaker election and this was appreciated by the treasury benches.
“He should cut into the TD base more than what he did in the recent elections for us to be comfortable in the coming local body polls,” said a senior minister.
The ruling party is also trying to taunt the TD by giving more time to Mr Chiranjeevi to speak.