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MLA Somarapu Satyanarayana Under House Arrest

As a precautionary measure, the government has put the Ramgundam MLA Somarapu Satyanarayana under house arrest. The Independent MLA, Somarapu, who has shifted his loyalties to TRS recently, was taken into custody with the fear that he may disrupt the 'Rachchabanda' program scheduled to be held at Godawari Khani today (18-11-11) in which minister Sreedhar Babu and the District Collector are participating. MLA Satyanarayana was arrested at about 7 in the morning, even as he was protesting that he had no intention of disrupting the rachchabanda program, as it has nothing to do with the contentious separate Telangana issue. Though the MLA didn't receive any invitation to attend the program, he said that he intends to take the problems faced by the local public to the government's notice and for that he wants to attend the program. But the police didn't heed to his pleas and was not allowed to step out from his house. Video Source: snehatv.com

TDP Alleges Cong-Jagan Nexus to Defame Opposition Parties

The AP High Court has ordered the CBI to probe into Telugu Desam Party supremo Chandrababu Naidu's assets on the basis of the petition filed by former chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy's widow YS Vijayamma. Reacting sharply, Mr. Naidu said that the latest petition filed by YSR Congress MLA Vijayamma was yet another conspiracy hatched by the Congress to defame the opposition parties. He also stated that several enquiries ordered by former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy himself had failed to prove any wrongdoing on his part. Addressing a meeting of senior party leaders Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Tummala Nageswara Rao, Motkupalli Narasimhulu, Kadiam Srihari and S Chandramohan Reddy, Naidu told that "This is a conspiracy hatched by the Congress which is using Jagan as a tool to defame the opposition parties." Sources said Naidu explained how he was targeted by YSR during six years of the Congress regime and that Vijayamma is now raking up the same cases that were earlier dismissed by different courts. The meeting decided to defend Naidu legally and also go to public and expose Congress' tactics including using Jagan and the YSR Congress as tools to weaken the opposition parties in the name of probes. "YSR had filed 13 cases against Naidu but could not prove even one. Out of the total 26 cases filed against Naidu, majority were lodged by YSR. Now, his wife Vijayamma has gone to the HC with the same allegations that were struck down by different courts," said Yanamala Ramakrishnudu. The cases that were dismissed included the revival of the Somasekhara Commission, disproportionate assets, liquor sales, Heritage Foods assets, land allotment for NTR Trust Bhavan and alleged corruption in the IMG Bharata deal, the TDP leader said. Apparently, it was discussed at the meeting that Naidu would not file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the HC direction. Pointing to the nexus between the Congress and YSR Congress, senior leader S Chandramohan Reddy said after the arrest of mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy, Jagan rushed to New Delhi and met some senior Congress leaders on September 9. After that, on October 18, Vijayamma filed a petition against Naidu. The TDP said it would hold dharnas and rallies across the state exposing the nexus between Jagan and Congress in the coming days. Naidu is also planning to convene meetings with some of the national leaders, including CPI and CPM general secretaries to expose the Congress schemes to weaken the opposition parties.

After EMAAR Scam, AnRak, Jindal Ventures Come Into Light

Instances of state government's stakes in joint venture projects with foreign companies being diluted during regimes of both Chandrababu Naidu and YSR are coming into light. In yet another instance where state government gets pittance while its counterparts in the venture get the lion's share has surfaced recently. The YSR government had entered into two separate MoUs in 2007 with the government of Ras al Khaimah (an emirate forming part of UAE) and Jindal South West Holdings Ltd for supply of bauxite through the AP Mineral Development Corporation Ltd for the proposed aluminium refineries and smelters currently being established by these two private promoters in Vizianagaram district. Incidentally, Ras al Khaimah has business ties with Emaar Properties, Dubai, which is already under the CBI scanner in view of allegations that the Chandrababu Naidu and YSR regimes favoured it by diluting the state's stake in joint ventures like the Emaar Hills Township and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). Ras al Khaimah had recently petitioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct the AP government to speed up the Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Port Industrial Corridor (Vanpic) project coming up in the coastal region. Incidentally, the Vanpic project, of which Ras al Khaimah is a promoter, is also under the CBI spotlight in the Jagan assets case. The company floated by Jindal South West Holdings was incorporated as 'JSW Aluminium Ltd' and that of Ras al Khaimah as 'AnRak Aluminium Ltd'. In November 2007, the state had appointed a six-member high powered committee for fixation of the sale price of bauxite and the percentage that the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) would get as royalty for the sale of bauxite. The committee of bureaucrats headed by then industries secretary Y Srilakshmi and with another IAS officer B P Acharya as member, then consulted PriceWaterhouseCoopers Pvt Ltd, and on their guidelines, fixed the pricing policy and royalty. The formula, as spelt out in GO MS 222, issued on August 13, 2008, APMDC would get an equity participation of 1.5 per cent subject to a maximum of Rs 50 crore per year plus an extra sum of 1.25 times of the prevailing royalty for tribal development. The remaining 97-odd per cent of the revenue was earmarked for these two private promoters. The GO claimed that the formula was based on a model evolved by the Orissa Mining Corporation to supply bauxite to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd which was, ironically, faulted by the CAG for causing a huge revenue loss to the state. As per this formula, for a production of 2,50,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum, AnRak Aluminium Ltd will earn a revenue of Rs 3,625 crore while JSW Aluminium Ltd with an annual production of 1.4 million tonnes of alumina, will earn Rs 3,150 crore. In contrast, as per the MoU, AP Mineral Development Corporation will get only Rs 100-Rs 150 crore per year as royalty and its share of the profit. The royalty rate fixed by the state's high powered committee is in complete contrast to what the government of India had fixed for PSUs like SAIL and Nalco. Moreover, in a bauxite-related case, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court had said that the royalty should be one pre cent of the price of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange. If the state had followed the CEC's formula, if AnRak and JSW together mine 7.5 million tonnes of bauxite every year, APMDC should get Rs 907.5 crore as royalty. However, as per the MoU, the state will get only a pittance while the two private promoters will walk away with the bulk of the revenue at the state's expense. The CBI, which is probing the Jagan's assets case, is in receipt of a letter written by former IAS officer E A S Sarma to then chief secretary P Ramakanth Reddy in 2009 urging the state to cancel GO 222 as it weighed heavily in favour of the two private companies at the cost of the state exchequer. While the state did not do anything on it, it remains to be seen whether the CBI will act on it.

Rs.120 Billion Petroleum Refinery Coming up in Coastal Andhra

Amerind Petroleum Private Limited (Amerind), promoted by a Hyderabad based entrepreneur Syed Badruddin, proposes to set up a nearly Rs.120 billion petroleum refinery near Visakhapatnam, in joint technical collaboration with US-based American Industrial Corporation (AIC). The refinery to be located in Petroleum, Chemicals and Petro-chemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) near the coastal city of Visakhapatnam. The refinery will have an initial refining capacity to process 7.5 million tonnes of crude oil per annum (or 150,000 barrels per day) and will produce the entire range of petroleum products. A memorandum of understanding between Andhra Pradesh government and Amerind to set up the refinery was signed here Thursday in the presence of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. Major Industries Minister J. Geeta Reddy later told reporters that the first phase of the project would be set up on turn key basis by AIC by relocating an existing and running refinery acquired by it in the US. The estimated cost of the first phase would be Rs.25.25 billion ($505 million). In the second phase, the project would be expanded to a total refining capacity of 15 million tons per annum along with a petro-chemical complex, at an additional cost of Rs.86.11 billion. This would be the first refinery in the state in the private sector. It would have its own captive floating marine terminal, with three underwater pipelines to receive the imported crude oil and to dispatch products for exports. Promoted by Hyderabad-based technocrat entrepreneur Syed Badruddin, Amerind will set up the refinery with financial assistance from Exim Bank of the US. Exim Bank will provide loan funding of $375 million for US costs of the project and up to 30 percent of this for local costs in India. AIC is a consortium of 14 American companies with 25 to 30 year experience in petroleum refineries. The minister said the total implementation time for the project would be 30 to 36 months from the date of receipt of all clearances from the state and the central governments. The refinery is expected to contribute Rs.15,544 crore to the central and state governments by way of taxes. It would also provide direct employment to 55,000 people. Geeta Reddy said the refinery planned to set up 3,500 retail outlets to market its products over a period of three to five years from the date of commencement of commercial production.

Gali CBI Case: Srilakshmi May Turn Approver

IAS officer Srilakshmi, who has been named as fourth accused in the illegal mining case involving the former Karnataka minister Mr Gali Janardhan Reddy, today appeared before the CBI at its Koti office in Hyderabad in connection with the case. She has been questioned for nearly nine hours and was let off with orders to come tomorrow again for questioning. According to highly placed sources, Srilakshmi is likely to turn approver in the case. If the CBI agrees for her request to turn approver, her name may be finally removed as an accused with the permission of the court. This will also make the job of the CBI officials easier in closing the investigation in the case and preparing the charge sheet at top speed with in the stipulated period of 90 days. Special investigating officer and additional SP Mr RM Khan has been grilling her for her involvement in granting mining leases to the OMC owned by Gali brothers. Srilakshmi also played a key role in linking the OMC mines to Brahamani Steels owned by Gali. She has been on leave for the last one week on health grounds and CBI officials called her as soon as she returned to Hyderabad today.

CBI Special Court Rejects Gali Bail Third Time

The CBI Special Court at Nampally here today (17 November 2011) rejected the bail pleas of former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy and his brother-in-law BV Srinivasa Reddy. The duo are facing CBI probe in alleged illegal mining activities that took place in their Obulapuram Mining Company. The CBI, probing illegal mining and irregularities in allotment of leases to OMC, had arrested the Reddys on September 5 from Bellary in Karnataka and the duo are presently in judicial custody till November 28 and lodged at the Chanchalguda Central Prison here. Gali Janardhana Reddy, who owns the OMC and the company's Managing Director Srinivas Reddy had on November 8 moved bail applications in the Special Court for CBI cases here for the third time after their arrests on September 5 on the grounds that majority of the investigation into the case was over and they were in remand for over two months and would not influence the witnesses. The CBI has again opposed the fresh bail petitions of the Reddys expressing apprehensions that they might tamper with evidence if they are released. The agency had also informed the court that investigation of the case was at a crucial stage and the accused could influence witnesses. Referring to the ground cited by Reddys that they were entitled to bail because the maximum of 60 days for filing chargesheet had lapsed since their arrest, the CBI had informed the court that section 409 of IPC (criminal breach of trust) was added in the FIR subsequently which gave the agency the liberty to fulfil the task in 90 days.

Baba Ramdev Instigating People to Revolt

A PIL has been filed against Baba Ramdev in a U. P. local court, seeking registration of a criminal case against him for his alleged statement over organizing a revolt against the government on the lines of Libya and Syria. Additional Civil Judge Bhagirathi Varma, while admitting the petition on wednesday filed by social worker Mohammad Ali, posted the matter for hearing on November 21. In his complaint, Ali charged Ramdev with conspiring a bloody revolt against the government on the lines of Syria and Libya. "Ramdev is trying to mobilize the public for a revolt on the lines of Libya and Syria where bloody revolt took place and many died. He is insisting the members of public to come out for such revolts to end the corruption, this is no way to end the corruption by creating war and bloody revolt against the elected government," Ali said. Ali claimed he had filed the petition after reading media reports on Ramdev's alleged statement in a public meeting in Varanasi on November 13.

Hyderabad Mayor Post: MIM May Spring a Surprise

Another three weeks are left for the MIM to takeover the Mayor post of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation from the Congress as per the agreement it had reached with it two years ago. With clear indications from the party for taking up the mayor post, MIM corporators are lobbying hard to don the mayoral robes. The MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi had already written a letter to the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief a couple of weeks ago, reminding him about the agreement with their party on the mayor post, which expires on December 4, 2011. Though it is for the MIM president to take a decision on the mayor post at a meeting to be held November-end, its corporators are lobbying hard to bag the post. Deputy mayor Jaffer Miraz Hussain, former mayor and Hussaini Alam corporator Zulfeqar Ali and former standing committee chairperson and Chintalbasthi corporator Yasmin Sultana are vying for the top post. If the party wants to consider newly-elected corporators, party sources said Talab Chanchalam corporator Mohd Wajahat Ali Khan and MIM's deputy floor leader Mohsina Parveen have bright chances of being in the top job. It is said, a section of MIM party is in favour of selecting a woman corporator, like the Congress did for the top post, while some others want the Congress to continue for one more year, so that the MIM can have the last two years of Mayor's tenure or till GHMC elections are held again. However, it is the president Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi who will decide in the party's meeting to be held at party headquarters in Dar-us-salam at the end of this month.

Will Jagan be Left All Alone?

Most probably, say the political observers. All was well with number of Congress MPs, MLAs and MLCs siding with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy after the untimely death of his father, the former chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy. The entire state including the opposition parties had sympathy towards the young MP Jagan Mohan Reddy untill he threw his hat in the ring to become chief minister of AP. While some Congress MPs, MLAs and MLCs even resigned in his support, few others though didn't come out openly, were lending their support indirectly. The tables have turned against Jagan Mohan Reddy with High Court ordering the CBI to probe in to the allegations against him for amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The sympathy of his follwers and well wishers is fast eroding. In East Godavari district, Ramachandrapuram MLA Pilli Subash Chandra Bose, Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy and Anaparthi MLA and Aditya Educational Group (AEG) chairman Nallamilli Sesha Reddy have openly extended their support to YSR Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy. They are openly participating in all his meetings. But in the wake of CBI investigation into 'illegal' assets of the Kadapa MP, Chandrasekhar Reddy and Sesha Reddy may come back into the Congress fold for their political future. Another ardent Jagan supporter Pilli Subhaschandra Bose fell into playing defensive with his wife being faced with allegations of cheating unemployed youth with false promises of providing government jobs. It is said, some ministers have already advised the two MLAs that it will be better for them to leave Jagan now as action against the Kadapa MP is imminent after the end of CBI inquiry into his illegal assets. As a pressure tactic, the Congress Government has reportedly directed the district officials to keep a close watch on educational institutions of Sesha Reddy. Chandrasekhar Reddy participated in the Rachchabanda programme attended by chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at Jaggampeta recently, which gave scope for speculations about his return to the Congress fold. Dwarampudi Bhaskar Reddy, Rice Millers Association president and father of Chandrasekhar Reddy, is in touch with the Congress leadership to ensure that his son doesn’t leave the party. Going by the latest developments, it may not be far when Jagana Mohan Reddy will have to choose between continuing to fight for his claim to chief minister's post or yeild under pressure from the Congress.

MBT Corporator Prevented From Meeting Press, Held

Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) corporator Amjedullah Khan was detained on his way to address a media conference at Himayat Nagar on Tuesday. The corporator from Azampura division had convened the media conference on the recent attacks on people belonging to a particular community and the subsequent arrest of the accused, at a news agency in Hyderguda at 1:30 pm. As the news reached the Narayanguda police, they made enquiries at the conference hall and came to know that the MBT leader was supposed to speak on the communal issue. Task Force sleuths and local police were deployed on the main road leading to the venue. People and vehicles were allowed to enter the lane only after checking their identities. Khan reached the place around 1:20 pm and his vehicle was stopped near Apollo Hospitals. He and three others were taken into preventive custody and shifted to the Bollarum police station. He was let off in the evening. Narayanguda police inspector G Girish Rao said Khan and three others were taken into preventive custody as they feared that the corporator might make provocative remarks on the recent attacks and subsequent arrest of people belonging to an organisation. Speaking to Express, Khan termed his arrest undemocratic. “I wanted to produce a victim of the attack before the media and seek compensation from the government. How can the police prevent me from addressing media?” he questioned. He said some senior police officials were behind his arrest and alleged that they were acting at the behest of MIM. He alleged that his driver Abdul Raheem was manhandled. One of the injured victims and a cameraman of a vernacular newspaper, who was travelling in his vehicle, were among the arrested. Later, in a release handed over to the media, the MBT demanded that the government pay an ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to those who suffered minor injuries and Rs 5 lakh each to those who sustained severe injuries in the attacks. “All the cases related to the attacks should be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as the organisation involved in the attacks is spread all over the country and the conspiracy was hatched outside the city,” he said.

Koneru Prasad Gets Interim Bail to Visit Sabarimala

The Special Court for CBI cases on Wednesday granted interim bail to Trimex Group chairman Koneru Prasad, arrested by CBI for alleged irregularities in the APIIC-Emaar Properties land deal, to enable him to visit Sabarimala as part of his 'Ayyappa deeksha'. Prasad, who is also the promoter of Stylish Homes Real Estate Pvt Ltd was earlier remanded in CBI custody (police custody) on two occasions after his arrest by the central agency on November 3 and was yesterday sent to judicial custody and lodged in Chanchalguda Jail here till November 18. Prasad's counsel had moved a petition for interim bail for his client to enable him to complete his 'Ayyappa deeksha' at Sabarimala on November 17. While giving interim bail to Prasad on humanitarian grounds, the court today asked him to surrender himself before it on November 22 and deposit his passport and furnish personal bond of Rs 50,000. Prasad will be escorted by three policemen of Chanchalguda Jail during his visit to Sabarimala and was directed not to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence. Stylish Homes Real Estate Pvt Ltd, one of the marketing agents for Emaar is accused of selling villas and plots at high rates though officially it was shown to have been done at much reduced rates. Koneru Prasad, is a key person in the Emaar case and instrumental in the APIIC-Emaar land deal and allegedly had a role on dilution of APIIC's equity and roping in its group company Emaar MGF Land Pvt Ltd as a co-developer for the township (built in Gachibowli here) which in turn resulted in reduction of stake and loss to Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), the CBI had earlier alleged.

TRS MLAs Padayatra From Today

In an attempt to rejuvenate the Telangana agitation for a separate state, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLAs will be undertaking padyatras in all districts starting Wednesday. The padyatras are slated to continue till November 21. This comes days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that a decision on Telangana would be taken on the basis of consensus and nothing would be done in a hurry to avoid any trouble. "Telangana is a complicated matter. We want consensus where all shades of opinion will feel what is best. We cannot solve Telangana by agreeing to Telangana and there is disturbances and unrest in other parts," he had said. "As for an appropriate solution, we will work to find a practical ways and means so that all the stakeholders can agree to accept a solution," the Prime Minister had said.

Assembly Winter Session From December 1

The winter session of the Legislative Assembly will start from December 1. This was revealed by revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy during a district collector’s video-conference held at the Secretariat on Monday. The Minister informed the government has decided to conduct the winter session from December 1. On the first day of the session, the House would be adjourned after offering condolences to sitting and former MLAs who passed away recently. The government is getting ready to take up discussion on the prevailing drought situation on the second day. In this connection, he asked district collectors to send complete information on drought relief measures and enumeration of crop loss.

Congress Telangana MPs To Attend Parliament

Telangana Congress MPs, who had submitted their resignations to the Lok Sabha speaker long ago, have decided to attend the winter session of Parliament which will commence on November 22 to build pressure on the party high command and the UPA government. At a meeting held here on Sunday, they hoped that the Congress core committee would, in the next couple of days, recommend to the government to take a decision on Telangana. They plan to meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi also. They tentatively fixed December 9 as a fresh deadline to the Centre on the statehood issue. In case the Congress or UPA government decide to deny statehood to Telangana, then they will resign from the party and Parliament, and plunge headlong into the people's movement. They also declared that they were prepared to face fresh elections. "We are with all Telangana forces and all the forces were with us,'' the MPs claimed. Reiterating their commitment to the Telangana cause, they said they would not agree to any other proposal including changing the chief minister. K Keshava Rao, Y Madhu Goud Yashki, S Rajaiah, Manda Jagannatham, Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, G Vivekananda, Balaram Nayak attended the meeting which lasted three hours.

Uttar Pradesh Must be Divided: Mayawati

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Tuesday addressed a press conference in Lucknow and announced the approval of the reorganisation of UP into four smaller states - Bundelkhand, Awadh Pradesh, Poorvanchal and Paschimi Pradesh - by the state cabinet. Mayawati said: "BSP favours reorganisation of Uttar Pradesh for the better development of the state." She further added that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has always worked for the betterment of the weaker section. "The Uttar Pradesh government had asked the Centre to provide more funds for development but the Prime Minister didn't respond," she also said.

Petrol Prices May be Reduced by Rs 2

Petrol Price news: Petrol prices may be reduced by about Rs 2 per litre from Wednesday, the first reduction in rates since January, 2009. The reduction, possible because of a fall in global oil rates, comes days after state-owned oil companies raised petrol prices by a steep Rs 1.80 per litre. The average price of gasoline (petrol) in the first fortnight of November was about USD 5 per barrel lower than the rate which formed the basis for the price revision on November 3, said a top executive at one of the three state-owned fuel retail firms. "Since petrol is a deregulated commodity which moves in tandem with international rates, we intend passing on the reduction to the consumers," he said. Gasoline, or petrol prices, averaged USD 115.85 per barrel during the first half of November, as against the USD 121.67 per barrel average during the second fortnight of October, which formed the basis for the Rs 1.80 per litre price increase. In addition, the rupee has averaged Rs 49.20 per US dollar this month, higher than the Rs 49.40 per US dollar exchange rate in October. Oil companies revise the price of petrol, which was freed from government control in June last year, on the basis of fortnightly average international oil prices. "The reduction in oil price warrants a cut of Rs 1.86 per litre in the petrol price, excluding all taxes," the official said, adding that the retail price -- after taking into account the tax incidence -- would go down by about Rs 2 per litre. This will be the first reduction in petrol prices in 33 months. State-owned oil firms had on November 3 hiked petrol prices by Rs 1.80 per litre, the fourth increase this year, as the rupee fell from 46.29 a dollar to Rs 49.40 a dollar. At the time of the price hike, they had stated that petrol prices would be reduced if the rupee does not depreciate further and international oil prices fall. "Gasoline price are today lower than even crude oil price. But today, the rupee has gone touched a 32-month low of Rs 50.45 to a dollar. At the end of today, we will take an average for the fortnight and revise petrol rates," the official said.

Nadendla Manohar To Accept 2 More Resignations Today

Assembly speaker Nadendla Manohar is likely to accept two more resignations on Tuesday. The likely names are that of former minister Juappli Krishna Rao and Sobha Nagi Reddy and Somarapu Satyanarayana. Interactions with the other resigned MLAs are going on and in all probability, the speaker is likely to complete the process by this month end. On Monday, Telugu Desam Party member from Kamareddy Gampa Goverdan appeared before the speaker and explained his stance on the resignation. Sources said Goverdan has been asked to depose before Manohar once again on Tuesday. After taking his version, the speaker will take a decision on his resignation. After quitting the TDP, Goverdan has joined the TRS. Several MLAs who have submitted their resignations for different reasons are in touch with the speaker and conveying to him their stance on the quit letters. Basing on the latest feedback, Manohar will take a decision in the next four days, said sources in his office.

TRS Cheated People on Telangana: TTDP

Targetting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his comments favouring consensus on the Telangana issue, the Telangana leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday alleged that both Congress and TRS have "cheated" the people from the region over the statehood demand. "Both Congress and TRS have cheated the Telangana people. Congress had promised to deliver a separate state, while TRS claimed that it will get Telangana," TDP's Telangana forum convener Errabelli Dayakar Rao told. He said the Congress MLAs and state ministers from the region should quit their posts and boycott government programmes for creating a constitutional crisis, to force the Centre accept the statehood demand. The TDP MLAs from Telangana have already quit, he said. Wondering if there is a clandestine understanding between TRS and Congress over the issue, he asked, why TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao spared Congress president Sonia Gandhi, but trained his guns on the Prime Minister for favouring consensus on the issue. On Saturday, the Prime Minister had said that a decision on Telangana would be taken on the basis of a consensus and nothing would be done in a hurry to do something that will create trouble in other regions. "Telangana is a complicated matter. We want consensus, where all shades of opinion will feel what is best. We cannot solve Telangana by agreeing to Telangana and there is disturbances and unrest in other parts," Singh had said.Singh was replying to a question from journalists on board his special plane, while returning from Maldives as to what his government was doing in Andhra Pradesh, where a serious situation has evolved over Telangana issue.

TRS Activists Attacked Parakala Prabhakar

The founder of the Vishalandhra Maha Sabha, Mr Parakala Prabhakar, was attacked by members of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti in Jubilee Hills on Sunday, as he was leaving the studio of a Telugu news channel after taking part in a televised debate. The debate was about remarks he had made on Saturday against the Telangana movement and TRS ideologue, the late Prof. Jayashankar. Mr Prabhakar had said that he was ready for a debate on ‘United Andhra’ if T-supporters allowed him to speak on the issue in any part of Telangana. He said that there was no Telangana sentiment among people and whatever Prof. Jayashankar claimed about injustice meted out to Telangana was false propaganda and he was ready to prove his point given a chance. Participating in Sunday’s TV debate, TRS leader and former minister A. Chandrashekar offered to provide a platform for Mr Prabhakar at Vikarabad as he wanted. He challenged Mr Prabhakar that if he convinces even one person in Vikarabad in favour of ‘United Andhra’, he will stay away from the T-movement for ever. Mr Prabhakar accepted the challenge and it was as he came out of the TV studio to go to Vikarabad along with his supporters that TRS activists waiting outside the studio attacked him. He and his supporters tried to run back into the studio but the activists cha-sed them, caught hold of Mr Prabhakar by the scruff of his collar and slapped him on the shoulder. While fleeing, Mr Prabhakar fell down and sustained minor injures. The police rushed to the spot and arrested Mr Chandrashekar as well as Mr Prabhakar. Both men were later released on bail. After the incident, Mr Prabhakar said that he had every right to express his views in a democracy; but the TRS is trying to suppress his voice. He reiterated his challenge that he would prove there was no “Telangana sentiment” among the people. Mr Chandrashekar said that he will not tolerate anyone insulting the T-movement and will teach them a fitting lesson.

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