Knock..Knock...Who is there in Congress party?

  Congress party is almost abandoned in Seemandhra by its leaders and of course by the people also. Every day, several former ministers accompanied by their followers are jumping out of sinking Congress ship. Hardly, there are handful leaders left abroad the Congress ship. So, it would be easy and wise to count the members, who still cling to party, rather than counting the outgoing persons. However, the tally should be regularly updated as the number keep changing every day.   So far, we have seen a dozen plus Congress leaders have jumped into TDP, TRS and YCP in the recent past and the spree continues even till date. Today, Thota Narasimhulu, DL Ravindra Reddy’s turn to abandon the Congress ship. Former minister Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad is wooed by expelled Congress MP Rayapati Sambhasiva rao to sail along with him into TDP. Rayapati and Sailajanath, who until yesterday have talked on behalf of Kiran’s Jai Samaikyandhra party, are also waiting for their turn to take plunge into TDP.   However Chiranjeevi, who is given charge as party Seemandhra campaigning committee chairman, rubbishes the reports about Congress being vacated in the region. He said though the leaders leave the party, there is no immediate threat for party, because party is mainly based upon cadres and not on leaders. However, he conveniently ignored to the fact that cadres are also abandoning the party along with their leaders. So, only a handful of leaders may remain in the party in Seemandhra. Perhaps, Congress high command might not have expected this much damage to party.

KCR’s war of words

      TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao has attacked his critics strongly. Speaking at a press meet in the Telangana Bhavan in his inimitable style, he came out strongly on his political detractors who have been talking about his statements on Telangana and other issues.   He that the struggle for protection of the interests of Telangana was not yet over despite the Centre according statehood to the region. Out of the 200 employees working in AP Bhavan, only three belong to Telangana. He said that the AP Bhawan in Delhi belonged to the people of Telanagana which was gifted by the Nizams and if it was divided he would go to the Supreme Court to prevent it from going to the rest of Andhra. He also opposed functioning of the secretariats of both Telangana and rest of AP from the existing premises after the bifurcation. On Thursday, the state Governor, ESL Narasimhan, had endorsed the proposal to retain secretariats of both the states in the present premises. "How can there be 90% Andhra employees in the secretariat that belongs to Telangana?," he asked and with the rest of the 10% being Telangana people, all that he said that the employees would be sent back to their respective places and that was being misinterpreted by the other leaders that Seemandhra employees working in Telangana would not be allowed any options. The statements made yesterday by Samaikyandhra Party president, N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Telangana Congress campaign committee Chairman, C Damodara Rajanarasimha, for asserting that he would not allow construction of Polavaram irrigation project , he said that Kiran Kumar had swindled close 7 crores and sent that money to his home town and all that he said was that he wanted a change in the project plan.

LokSatta Party Manifesto Highlights

      The Loksatta Party unveiled its 2014 election manifesto called the people’s manifesto which speaks about its ideas for the people of both Telangana and rest of Andhra Pradesh States.   The Loksatta has drafted its manifesto not with an eye on garnering seats and votes in elections but on providing a detailed road map for facilitating development, welfare and reforms. It would release its policy paper on electoral alliances today. Highlights of the manifesto: Eradication of corruption: A strong Lokayukta and Ombudsmen at the district level will be formed and the corrupt will be jailed and their properties confiscated. Citizens’ charters will be implemented to ensure hassle-free services. Basic amenities: With a per capita grant of Rs.1000 to wards in villages and towns from the State budget, people will be enabled to have access to basic services. Healthcare: Every family will be provided free healthcare in both Government and private hospitals. Education: Every student will be provided education including computers and English language. Liquor menace: Liquor trade will be nationalized and shops limited to towns and mandal headquarters. Belt shops will be eliminated and de-addiction centers opened. Pensions will be provided to families of liquor victims. Youth: The party will ensure good education, skills and livelihood opportunities to all youth. Senior Citizens: Their services will be utilized in the fields of education, health and agriculture sectors. They will be provided 25 percent concession in bus fares. Middle classes: Assistance will be provided for realizing their dream of a house of their own in the form loans at subsidized interest and sale of Government lands at cheaper rates. Unorganized workers: Welfare boards will be created for workers like masons, carpenters, electricians, mechanics, petty traders and sales staff. They will be provided monetary assistance for their children’s education and interest-free loans for pursuing their professions. The aged will get pensions. Agriculture: Farmers will have the right to sell their produce anywhere without any restrictions. They will be helped to get better prices through encouragement of foreign direct investment in retail trade. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme will be extended to the agriculture sector. Col storage facilities will be provided and agro industries encouraged. Electricity: Twenty-four-hour power supply will be ensured in the next thee years. Steps will be taken to ensure there are no hikes in power tariffs for the next five years. Industry: Industrial units will get fast clearances. Allocation of land and other resources will be transparent.  

Forest fire creates chaos atop Thirumala

      The forest fire which broke out in the early hours of Tuesday atop the Thirumala hills has turned to be a major ecological disaster. The fire that was first noticed at Pullatla, spread towards Eethakayala mandapam and Kakulakonda area and later to the eastern parts of the forest. TTDs Chief Vigilance and Security Officer (CVSO) G. Srinivas & reserve forest DFO Srinivasulu along with other forest officials and fire tenders rushed to the spot to put out the flames but have been unsuccessful in putting out the fire. Close to 50 firefighters, other TTD employees and media personnel are currently stuck up the hill. Fire engines from other areas in and around Tirupathi are being called for help. The high winds are further stoking the fire and spreading it further. The TTD and forest officials are in consultation with the Vedic priests and the government for sending helicopters to Thirumala to put out the fire aerially. Papanasanam area is being set to be cleared as the fire has spread to that place also. With fire engulfing the forests there are chances of the wild animals coming in to the human habitats to save themselves from the heat and fire. The forest officials are quickly gearing up for this situation and clearing people from there also. Vehicles on the road to Thirumala are being cleared and sent back. The fire which started near a sandal wood farm has destroyed acres of reserve forest area and sandal wood forests. Whether the onset of summer heat has caused this fire or the handiwork of sandal wood smugglers is yet to be ascertained. But the expected loss is said to be more than 70 crore rupees.The power generating windmills on top of the hill are also set to be stopped as a precaution.