Chiranjeevi Selling Andhra Jyothy News Paper

This is the observation of crores of Telugus living across the globe. It is Chiranjeevi who is selling Adhrajyothy News Paper from the last one week. Ever since the news that Chiranjeevi is setting up new party has seen light the News Paper took very big interest in publishing about him on banner everyday. Till now, Chiranjeevi's news has been on the top in that News Paper.

The sales of paper were increased a lot and was also crossed Eenadu this week as per the trade reports. Andhra Jyothy has taken the big mantle of analyzing all pros and cons if Chiranjeevi enters politics. It has been publishing detailed analysis with histograms and pie diagrams for non verbal understanding. Even today there is an analysis that which party is going to bite the mud if Chiru announces his party.

The News Paper says that it conducted survey among lakhs of people in the state. But the readers of the News Paper in different places are saying that none came to them for survey on this? Then are the figures mentioned by Andhra Jyothy in these surveys wrong? That is the doubt people have been getting now. Many conclude that it would be the personal opinion of the News Paper that is pertaining to people's view.

John unveiled Kingfisher Swimsuit Special 2008 Album

Buzz: 'Kamma Meeting' To Avoid Chiranjeevi!

This is the spy news revealed three days late. Kavuri Samba Siva Rao, the Kamma-Congress leader held a meeting at his home three days back calling all Kamma leaders of all parties. This meeting was held as an informal get together and escaped the media lens. Many of the Kamma leaders have come to the meeting and there is a film glitter as well with Aswini Dutt, Rama Naidu and Murali Mohan. Chiranjeevi supported for Aswini Dutt in previous elections when he contested from Vijayawada. But now Ashwini Dutt is among the group that resists Chiranjeevi's growth in politics.

The agenda of the meeting is how to integrate 'Aikamatyam' among Kammas. 'First Caste-Next Party' is the slogan. The threats with respect to Chiranjeevi's political entry are discussed in big way.

Initially they thought to give the leadership of this Kamma group to Venkaiah Naidu. But at last unanimously, everyone declared that Chandrababu would be their leader. The conclusion of the meeting is to push the glory of Kammas in politics and curb the entry of Chiranjeevi. A few leaders have told in the meeting that they would pool big funds from NRIs and industrialists of their community to spend for the unity of Kammas. How they spend that pooled-fund if any, has to be seen!!

Vundavalli Arun Kumar's Online Fight With Ramoji?

Outspoken Congress MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar has now gone online. Yes, he has launched the internet edition of his weekly newspaper, Eevaram. Now the newspaper can be accessed via internet. Good news for the Congress sympathizers. More and more people around the world can read Eevaram and the ideology of Arun Kumar.

But one person is unhappy, sources point out. He is a media baron and does not want Arun Kumar to get wide publicity. With the internet edition in his hand, Arun Kumar will take on his opponents including the media baron with an iron hand. He will be able to disseminate the Congress information across the globe.

But the question that is nagging the minds of his opponents is from where Vundavalli is getting all the funds to run the media. Is he spending all that he has in his pocket for the sake of prestige or is he really getting some funds to sustain the publication? Unless Arun Kumar or his opponents come out with facts and figures doubts continue in the minds of people.

Apart from all this, he is continuing his fight on Ramoji by joining hands with ABK Prasad, the Chairman Official language commission. ABK Prasad is a Kamma but got betrayed by Ramoji Rao. He unleashed the darker sides of Ramoji Rao and his character which will be seen in the online edition of Vundavalli's Eevaaram.

Hitec Babu Scratching Head For 'NRI-TDP' Website

Former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu is called Hitec CM. But he is unable to start his own NRI-TDP website due to non availability of right man to help him.

Babu speaks from housetops when it comes to modernization, technological revolution and innovation. But when it comes to setting his own house in order, quite often he fails and stands exposed.

And this is exactly what has happened with his much-touted NRITDP website, set up for the "benefit" of non-resident Telugu-speaking people around the world.

Six months after the website was set up, it is yet to be started fully. A visit to the site says it is still under construction. What is the reason for such a long delay? First, the computer man who had been helping Chandrababu Naidu from behind the scene, Mr PNV Prasad, had left the party. Before leaving the party, he kept himself aloof for a long time. Unless Chandrababu Naidu finds someone really capable and trusty, he will not be able to construct his website and reach non-resident Indian Telugus in 100 countries.

Hero Balakrishna For Rajahmundry MP Seat

Hero Balakrishna For Rajahmundry MP Seat

This is not a gossip but the hot confirmed news from reliable sources. Hero Balakrishna is being pulled in by Chandrababu Naidu to make him contest from Rajahmundry for MP seat in coming Parliament Elections. Sources say that Balakrishna also expressed his consent for the same. The idea is to wash out Congress MP Undavalli Arun Kumar, who bagged big fame for the first time with his fight against Margadarsi and Eenadu Chairman Ramoji Rao. The idea of placing Balakrishna in Rajahmundry is to create a wave in East and West Godavari districts.

A few days back there was a discussion in Balayya's family that he would be the president of TDP and takes the mantle of campaigning. Although Balakrishna maintained poise at that time, he got convinced with Babu's call to contest for MP seat. The other hidden benefits offered for Balayya by Babu are not known. There was a two hour discussion between Babu and Balayya couple of days ago with this regard.

There seems to be a very interesting phenomenon in coming Assembly as well as Parliament elections.

Chiranjeevi's 'Sample Test' Revealed Off Late

This is the inside talk that is spreading in political circles. Chiranjeevi, in his statement to media, mentioned that he didn't ask anyone to talk on his behalf or do show on his name. At the same time he did not condemn the news in News Papers and media immediately. He observed for a few days before responding to media (only in written form).

Sources say that it is like 'gummadikaya donga antey bhujalu thadumukunnadu' .

"No one asked Chiranjeevi if he encouraged his men to do show on his behalf. But Chiranjeevi himself said that he is not responsible for anything. But inside sources say that a close ally of Chiranjeevi ignited a spark and kept silent stating that Chiru is announcing party for Sankranthi. It's only Chiranjeevi's wish to know the public pulse, media reciprocation and the response of political circles regarding his political entry. It's only a 'test fire'. He understood various aspects in these days. He understood that there is thumping support from public, no media support from Eenadu and balanced approach by political circles. He also understood how many are willing to leave TDP and Congress to join his party if he announces.

After understanding all this, Chiranjeevi released his statement to media stating that the uproar about his political entry got ignited without his involvement. It is a very intelligent move, indeed.

Chiranjeevi keeps political parties guessing

Hyderabad (IANS) Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi continues to keep political parties in Andhra Pradesh and his fans guessing about his plans of entering the political arena.

Even as pressure is mounting from fans to take a plunge into politics, Chiranjeevi is keeping his cards close to his chest. Informed sources said he was in two minds and wants to test the waters first.

Chiru, as his fans popularly call the film star, has asked his supporters to be patient till he makes an announcement on the issue.

"I am deeply touched by the warmth displayed by countless people across the state in response to a news event. I appeal to all my supporters to be patient till I make an announcement. I have not authorised any individual or organisation to act on my behalf," he had said in a statement issued Friday.

He was referring to reports in a section of the media that quoted sources close to him as saying that he would launch a political party in January.

While the ruling Congress and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are wary of the impact his entry would have on their prospects in the 2009 elections, smaller parties and caste-based outfits trying to forge a third front are eager to accept him as their leader.

Leaders of Kapu, the caste to which Chiranjeevi belongs, want him to enter politics without delay. Other backward classes are also looking towards him to take on the Kammas and Reddys, the powerful castes dominating the TDP and Congress respectively.

Speakers from Kapu, Mala and Madiga castes, at a meeting of weaker sections organised by former advocate general S. Ramchandra Rao here Sunday, also exhorted Chiranjeevi to lead them.

"We expect Chiranjeevi will lead us in our efforts to form a third alternative," said Mala Mahanadu leader K. Shivaji.

Over the last few days, enthusiastic fans and supporters of the actor held meetings in his support across the state, especially in the politically significant coastal Andhra, the region to which the actor belongs.

They are confident that the actor would recreate the magic of thespian N.T. Rama Rao, who had taken politics by storm by coming to power within nine months of launching the TDP in 1982.

Chiranjeevi, one of the highest paid actors in the country who has acted in 148 films in a three-decade long career, is said to be consulting his family members and close friends about the timing of the launch of a new party and its policies and programmes. It is still not clear if his party will represent the interests of a particular caste or a group of castes.

Like other popular actors in the south, he also enjoys a demigod status. With 3,000 Chiranjeevi fan clubs across the state, his popularity can be compared to that of NTR.

The actor's entry could realign political forces in the state. The Left parties, who are keen on building a Third Front as an alternative to the Congress and TDP, said they would not mind joining hands with Chiranjeevi if he came up with specific policies and programmes.

"Let us wait for him to announce the launch of his party and its policies and programmes," said Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy.

Meanwhile, sources close to the 52-year-old actor said he was also planning a movie with a political message to mobilize public opinion in his favour.

The major political parties are wary of the impact of Chiranjeevi's entry in politics. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy said he would welcome the actor's foray into politics and would even ask him to join the Congress.

"He may leave an impact in the coastal belt and Rayalaseema regions but not in Telangana," said Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, whose party is fighting for separate statehood for the Telangana region.

Chiranjeevi fans take out rally in Vizag

Vizag: Fans of actor Chiranjeevi took out a rally from Poorna Market to Dabagardens via Jagadamba on Tuesday urging him to plunge into active politics.

M. Raghava Rao, president of Mega Star Fans’ Sangham and its general secretary P. Sarath Kumar and treasurer T.S. Dorabbai led the procession.

“We sincerely appeal to him to join politics as he is a man of commitment and has lot of love and affection for the oppressed and neglected sections. He has been doing good work through blood bank and other charitable projects founded by him,” V. Satish Kumar, a Chiranjeevi fan, said.

Andhra CM rejects doctors' demand

Stalemate over junior doctors' stir in Andhra Pradesh continued for the fourth day today as Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy rejected their demand for filing a case for non-bailable offence against a city MLA for allegedly attacking them at a state-run children's hospital.

''The concerned police officials would decide the charges to be framed. How can we interfere in the day to day functioning of the police officers. How can they (doctors) tell us what sections to be invoked,'' Reddy told reporters on Tuesday.

He was asked about the specific demand of the striking medicos that non-bailable charges should be framed against Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA Afsar Khan, who allegedly attacked the doctors on duty at Niloufer government children's hospital on Sunday last.

Denying that his government was soft-pedalling on the MIM MLA, he said action would be taken in accordance with law.

He made an appeal to the doctors saying the government cared for their security and that they should call off their stir in the interest of the patients.

However, the medicos continued their stir joined by their seniors who staged a token protest, throwing medical services out of gear.

Former DGP to support Chiranjeevi

HYDERABAD: Tollywood superstar Chiranjeevi would get a strong supporter in M V Bhaskar Rao, former director general of police, when he launches his proposed political party next month.

"I will join hands with him. I have briefed him on the situation of backward classes in the state in the past. What he is planning to do is the need of the hour," said Rao, who flirted briefly with politics 10 years ago. "The two castes —Reddys and Kammas— that together constitute only 10 per cent of the state population, have been cornering over 50 per cent of the political power and behaving like maharajas. The political monopoly of these castes should end and make way for political and social equality," he said.

Rao, angry over the insulting treatment of the then government, resigned from his job as Director General Civil Defence in 1997 to start a political outfit, Andhra Nadu. He was then left with three years of service. Andhra Nadu fought the Lok Sabha elections in 1998 and Assembly polls the following year and lost steam. It subsequently merged with the Congress.

A strong votary of power sharing by all sections of the society, Rao does not cherish the idea of reservation and preferential treatment given to under-privileged groups. He describes sops such as Rs 2-a-kg rice as dole that is given to the African Americans in the U.S. It is this behaviour that smacks of feudal mindset which should not be accepted in a democracy like ours. "Why should you give them dole? Why shouldn’t you increase their abilities to earn decent living? It is so because the ruling classes would want to continue their political monopoly," he said.

Indian American student sues New York police

New York(IANS) A civil liberties group has sued the New York Police Department (NYPD) on behalf of an Indian student who was detained in July while photographing a subway station here.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) filed the suit Thursday in the district court of Manhattan, alleging that police officers unlawfully handcuffed Arun Wiita, 26, a Columbia University graduate student.

Wiita was spotted using a digital camera near 207th Street and Tenth Avenue in Manhattan.

A resident of New Jersey, Wiita is seeking compensatory damages and reimbursement of legal fees.

"I was surprised and upset that I could be handcuffed on the street for taking a photograph," Wiita said. "What was really disheartening was that I knew this has probably happened before and that it could happen again to anyone."

"Wiita's arrest came within hours of his having embarked on a carefully planned 10-day project to photograph all 468 subway stations in New York," the lawsuit read.

"Though he was subsequently released without formal charges, Wiita was humiliated and confused by the arrest, and he believes that he was targeted in part because of his South Asian or Middle Eastern appearance," the lawsuit added. Wiita's mother is from India. He was born in the US.

Earlier this year, the police settled a suit brought by NYCLU on behalf of an award-winning documentary maker Rakesh Sharma, who was detained for filming with a handheld camera on a Manhattan street.

As a result, the mayor's office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting twice revamped its rules regarding the use of cameras on streets, parks or public property, tailoring them to apply only to potentially disruptive movie and television productions.

Police sources said officers question people photographing the city's rail infrastructure on "rare occasions", citing instances in which law enforcement officials have identified Iranian intelligence agents and suspected Pakistani terrorists taking photographs of the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges.

Aishwarya at Longiness Event Album

Miss China Wins Miss World 2007

Miss China Zi Lin Zhang was crowned Miss World 2007 at a glittering event at the Chinese tourist resort of Sanya Saturday, beating 106 participants. India's Sarah-Jane Dias failed to make it to the semi-finals.

Miss Angola Micaela Reis, 18, was the first runner up while 19-year-old Carolina Mor n from Mexico was the second runner up at the gala Saturday night held in the Crown of Beauty Theater at Sanya in Hainan province.

Zhang was crowned by last year's Miss World, Tatana Kucharova, from the Czech Republic, after Julia Morley, chairperson of the Miss World Organisation and of the international panel of judges, announced her name as the winner.

Valene Maharaj of Trinidad and Tobago and Annie Oliv of Sweden were the other two in the last five at the pageant, the second largest edition after Miss World 2003.

The delegates reached Sanya on November 2 and visited a number of popular spots in China.

In the fast track awards, Zhang was the Miss World Top Model, Miss Dominican Republic Ada Aim e de la Cruz the Miss World Beach Beauty, Miss United States Abigail McCary the Miss World Sports and Miss Ghana Irene Dwomoh the Miss World Talent.

The Beauty With A Purpose title was won jointly by Miss Ecuador Valeska Saab and Miss Hong Kong Kayi Cheung.

Unlike 2005 and 2006 editions, this year's event did not have continental zones in the selection of the semi-finalists.

The event, hosted by Chinese TV presenter Angela Chow and Latin American celebrity Fernando Allende, also witnessed some high voltage and touching dance performances.

One of the highlights was Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, introducing his grandfather's televised message on World Aids Day. It was followed by children from South Africa and a local school and all the contestants joining in singing the World Aids Day song.

Miss China is Miss World 2007 Album

I gave Tendulkar out wrongly against England: Umpire Dar

Mumbai, Oct 19 (IANS) Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar has, for the first time, admitted he gave Sachin Tendulkar out wrongly in the deciding seventh One-Day International against England in London last month.

"Immediately after I gave Tendulkar caught by wicket-keeper Matt Prior off Andrew Flintoff I realised from his reaction that I had given a wrong decision," Dar told IANS in an interview here.

Tendulkar, who scored 30 off 46 balls, was visibly stunned and he uncharacteristically stood in his crease for a few seconds, suggesting he had not snicked the ball, before returning to the dressing room.

Batting first, India were reduced to 59 for four with Tendulkar's dismissal and eventually lost the match by seven wickets at Lord's and with it the series 3-4.

Dar, who was here to officiate in the India-Australia One-Day Internationals, said that the mistake had occurred because of a brief lapse in his concentration.

"On that ball Flintoff was very close to bowling a no ball and as I was looking at his foot my concentration was disturbed," said Dar, widely considered one of the best umpires in the world.

Asked if he felt like taking his decision back to enable Tendulkar to continue batting, the 39-year-old member of the International Cricket Council's Elite Panel said that he had never recalled any player.

"Since I had never called any batsman after giving a decision I did not call him back. So, if I were to call Tendulkar I would also call the last man if given wrongly out," reasoned the man from Lahore.

"I knew that match was the decider. And I was upset after giving that decision. It was tough match (for me)," he said, referring to the 3-3 series score before that match.

Dar, however, showed his regret and tried to show his feelings to Tendulkar immediately after the match.

"After the game when players shake hands with the umpires, Tendulkar also shook my hands on the field. As he did that I said to him 'hard luck'," disclosed the affable official, who became the first Asian to officiate in 100 ODIs here Wednesday.

"Players also know that how good an umpire is. They understand that mistakes are not made deliberately and they respect good umpires."

A former first-class player himself, Dar revealed that if he is not satisfied with one of his decisions early in a match it bothers him.

"If I give an erroneous decision early in a match it plays on my mind. But I try not to let that decision affect me for the rest of the match," he said.

Dar, who also officiated the final of the 2007 ODI World Cup, was recently short-listed among the three umpires for the annual ICC's Best Umpire Award, which eventually went to Australian Simon Taufel.

He is thankful to his parents and his wife for their sacrifices to enable him to be away for long periods and concentrate on his job. His work entails him being away from home for seven-eight months a year, which forces him to miss his three young sons.

That is why Dar, who has also officiated in 39 Tests, has decided to quit umpiring at 50, 10 years before the retirement age prescribed by the ICC.

Cricket: 6 Ducks with Highest Score 7

If you are wondering if this is individual player statistics.. You are mistaken.. It's the total team statistics..

WestIndies Under-19 were wrapped up for 18 in match against Barbados with 6 ducks and highest score of 7.

The second highest score is extras (6). The complete batsmen score read 1,0,0,0,0,7,2,0,2,0 and 0 not out.

Barbados player Pedro Collins produced a record spell of 7 for 11.

This created the new lowest score in domestic circuit. The previous record of lowest score was 23, set 23 years ago. (Middlesex Vs Yorkshire,1973).

Well, No prize for guessing who won the match.. Yes..

Chiranjeevi's Daughter Marriage Video Clip

Chiranjeevi's daughter Srija

Chiranjeevi's Daughter Marriage Video Clip

http://videos.telugupeople.com/clipings.aspx?id=743


http://indfilmnews.blogspot.com/2007/10/image-httpimagesgreatandhracomtelugusan.html

Indian cricket board is worth nearly Rs.10 bn

Mumbai, Oct 17 (IANS) Irrespective of the national team's performance, the Indian cricket board is getting rich each year and its current total assets stand at a whopping Rs.9.6 billion ($245 million; 120.6 million pounds), thanks largely to its marketing policy and investments by sponsors.

In addition, the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) has made investments worth nearly Rs.7.5 billion ($190 million; 93.5 million pounds) and its 'current assets, loans and advances' stand at almost Rs.2.1 billion ($53 million; 26.2 million pounds), as per its 2006-2007 annual report, a copy of which is with IANS.

Out of its total assets of Rs.9.6 billion, the board has 'fixed assets' of Rs.71 million ($1.8 million; 891,268 pounds) at the end of the 2006-2007 fiscal year. The worth of the fixed assets has shot up from Rs.16.3 million ($416,007; 204,657 pounds) during the previous fiscal year.

BCCI's marketing committee, headed by vice president Lalit Modi, is credited with bringing in most of the money during 2006-2007. Income from grant of media rights alone stood at Rs.3.1 billion ($80 million; 39.3 million pounds).

The BCCI spent Rs.37.5 million ($956,301; 470,459 pounds) on its brand new, all-glass headquarters, 'Cricket Centre', built on the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) land inside the Wankhede Stadium, venue of the seventh India-Australia One-Day International Wednesday. This amount is an additional expenditure during the year and is in "excess of the budget", says the report.

The prominent fixed assets include 'improvements to leasehold premises' worth Rs.26.1 million ($664,299; 326,805 pounds); furniture and fixtures worth Rs.13.9 million ($354,646; 174,470 pounds); 'intellectual rights' under intangible assets worth Rs.3.9 million ($99,390; 48,896 pounds); office equipment worth Rs.8.5 million ($217,685; 107,091 pounds); air conditioners, refrigerators and water coolers worth Rs.7 million ($179,453; 88,283 pounds); 'buildings' representing the National Cricket Academy Indoor School constructed on land owned by the Karnataka State Cricket Association in Bangalore, worth Rs.3.7 million ($95,229; 46,848 pounds) and trophy replicas and cricket memorabilia worth Rs.1 million ($26,413; 12,994 pounds).

Fact Sheet: KCR desperate for mid-term polls

Inspite of the categorical declaration by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that there would be no question of any mid-term elections to Lok Sabha, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao still believes that there will be mid-term elections.

It looks like KCR desperately wants mid-term elections to be held right now and that there would be coalition government at the centre once again. He is of the fond hope that the TRS would get a minimum of 12 Lok Sabha seats this time. Since the Left parties would not be part of the UPA government this time, because of the nuclear deal, the UPA would have to depend on the other friendly parties. The TRS would, thus, play a crucial role in making or breaking the UPA government. Since the TRS would get 12 Lok Sabha seats, it would be in a strong position to bargain for separate Telangana State , which would be a pre-condition for joining the UPA government. And there would be no choice for Sonia but to accede the Telangana State .

Well, all this appears to be hypothetical, but KCR is visualizing such a scene. The more the elections are delayed, the less will be the chances of the Congress getting consolidated and it might not need the TRS support much. The situation, then, would come back to square one for KCR!!

I am a problem for YSR, says Babu

What is the biggest problem for chief minister YS Rajasekher Reddy? Former chief minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu says he is the biggest problem for YSR.

"The chief minister does not utter a sentence without making a reference to me. He is so obsessed with me that he drags me into every conceivable controversy for political mileage. Even thinks of me in his dreams," Chandrababu Naidu observed.

Interacting with reporters at NTR Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Chandrababu Naidu, however, said he was not a problem for the chief minister. "It's the other way round. He thinks I am a problem," he added.

Chandrababu Naidu made it clear that he had no personal fight with the Chief Minister. "I am fighting on issues and people's problems. But Rajasekhar Reddy takes it personally and thinks that I am fighing against him. We have nothing personal. I have no problem with him," he pointed out.

Rumors: Babu gets inspiration from Rajnikant

It seems film actor Rajnikant's Shivaji has inspired former chief minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu. Otherwise he will not do a Rajani act ala Shivaji.

Addressing a media conference at NTR Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Chandrababu Naidu declared that Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy and his son YS Jaganmohan Reddy had floated a firm in Maritius and purchased shares of an Indian company through the Maritius firm to convert the allegedly ill-gotten money into legal assets.

Rajanikant exactly does this in his famous film Shivaji. Chandrababu Naidu himself watched the movie along with the film actor. Perhaps he got a cue from the film. So he attributed the money transfer to the chief minister. It is not clear whether the firm had anything to do with the chief minister's family. Even Chandrababu Naidu does not have proof to support his allegation. But since he has been inspired by the Rajani movie, he thinks what he says is true and people will follow him blindly.

Fact Sheet: Of elections and talks with Maoists

Now that the election year is fast approaching, the Congress leaders, particularly the MLAs and MPs in the State are worried about their safety and security, as intelligence reports indicate that the Maoists are stepping up their activities silently in the remote areas.

That is precisely the reason why these Congress leaders from Naxal-infested areas are bringing pressure on the government to reopen the negotiations with Maoists and buy peace before the elections. The attack on former Chief Minister N Janardhan Reddy has triggered a lot of panic among the ruling party MLAs and MPs. Succumbing to their pressures, Information Minister from Nellore Anam Ramnarayan Reddy declared that the government's doors were always open for discussions with the Maoists and appealed to them to join the mainstream and cooperate for the development of the state.

The Congress MLAs are primarily worried that they would not be in a position to tour the interiors and make election campaign, if the government does not buy peace with the Maoists. They would definitely become hard targets for the extremists. But, who will bell the cat?

Fact Sheet: Hard choice before voters in 2009

It seems voters in Andhra Pradesh are in for really tough time choosing candidates during the May 2009 Assembly elections. Even small political parties have come out with a plethora of promises. The big political parties have promised everything that's possible under the blue sky. With still 18 months left for the polls, these political parties may come out with a few more promises, of course with some twists to the already made promises. This will be so because hardly any new political promise is left for these parties to announce.

An average voter will now have before him at least a dozen important promises and half a dozen political parties to choose from. He may be confused since all these political parties are making their promises appear genuine. Only the intelligent and discerning voters will be able to judge between these political parties to choose the right party and the right candidate.

Since our politicians want confusion to be created in the mind of voter so that they could benefit from the confusion, it's really going to be a hard time for the sincere voter when he or she enters the polling booth to excercise the adult franchise.

In-charge PCC chief asserts position

Till the other day, nobody, except a few old timers in the Congress, was aware who G S Rao was in the party. Now that he has been made in charge president of the Pradesh Congress Committee, he has become a known figure in the political and media circles.

And Rao, too, understood the importance of the post. Though initially he maintained a low profile as he had been doing in the past, he has slowly started asserting himself and his position, after realizing that the Congress high command might take some more time in appointing a regular PCC president. And he also threw his hat in the ring for the full-time post.

So, Rao wants to make hay while sun shines. He is addressing media conferences on a regular basis, attacking Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu and issuing showcause notices to the dissident Congress leaders in the districts. At the same time, he is making "pyravis" in the officials circles in the capacity of PCC president to make a quick buck. Who knows Rao will be richer by a few millions by the time he loses the post to a regular PCC president!

YSR, Babu fight over tax payers' cost

Challenges and counter challenges. Statements and counter statements. Allegations and counter allegations. The fight between Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has taken an ugly turn. It has finally reached the stage of constituting an official commission to probe into the allegations and counter allegations. So far so good. It provided political entertainment to the common man.

But what about the money component? The commission which is likely to be set up will required at least Rs 1 crore to complete its probe. There will be an office, staff, telephones, vehicles and all the paraphernalia. Then there is the salary component. It takes its own time and the more time it takes the more money is spent on the commission.

And where from this money the government will get? Certainly not from Chandrababu Naidu or from Rajasekhar Reddy. The State government itself will bear the cost. And the poor tax payers will have to cough up from their pockets.

Rumors: What does Kavuri outburst signify?

The sudden outburst of Elluru MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao against the UPA government at the Centre and the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy government in the State for denying adequate support price for paddy has raised many an eyebrow in the Gandhi Bhavan circles on Tuesday.

The party leaders were wondering as to what made Kavuri to use such a harsh language against the UPA government and instigate the farmers against Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh demanding support price of Rs 1,000 per quintal of paddy. Many leaders feel it might be because Kavuri had got an indication from Sonia that he would not be considered for any Cabinet berth in the proposed expansion, for the simple reason that yet another Kamma could not be accommodated in the Cabinet, which already has two people – Renuka Chowdary and Daggubati Purandareshwari – from the same community. So, Kavuri is disappointed.

Secondly, there is a talk that Kamma leaders in the coastal Andhra are consolidating their ranks against Rajasekhar Reddy personally, if not the Congress per se. And Kavuri, who is nurturing grouse against YSR, might be part of the game plan of Kammas to dethrone YSR. But will spitting venom on the UPA government help Kavuri is a question to be answered.

Fact Sheet: Nagender becomes too high handed

Fresh from his newly gained position as the president of Greater Hyderabad City Congress Committee, former MLA Danam Nagender is behaving as he has already become Mayor of Greater Hyderabad and therefore, can do anything.

The Congress leaders in the city are already bearing the brunt of Nagender's highhanded behaviour. He has developed his own coterie around him and is caring a damn for the sincere party workers in the city. Even the police officers are facing nightmarish experience with Nagender, who is raiding the police stations and getting the party workers and anti-social elements released from the custody. His contention is that those who were arrested in various cases are closer to him and they will play a major role in the Congress victory in the GHMC elections. The police are unable to do anything, as Nagender is closer to Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy.

Nagender's highhanded behaviour has also become a trouble for Hyderabad brothers – P Janardhan Reddy and M Shashidhar Reddy. Though both of them are MLAs, it is the Nagender's word that prevails in all the offices and police stations in the city. In denying entry for them into the Begumpet airport during President's visit and denial of chair to PJR at the official meeting , Nagender played a big role. In the coming days, Nagender is expected to get more and more prominence, party sources say.

I don't miss Twenty20 cricket: Sourav Ganguly

Mumbai, Oct 16 (IANS) Sourav Ganguly's explosive batting style - which he rediscovered in the Nagpur ODI against Australia - would have made him a successful batsman in Twenty20 cricket, but the former Indian captain says he doesn't miss the newest and fastest version of the game.

"I don't think I miss Twenty20 cricket. I don't know what it would have been if this kind of cricket was introduced during my younger days. But now I don't think I would have really missed it," Ganguly told IANS in an interview here.

Ganguly along with Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid - known as the 'Big 3' of Team India - made themselves unavailable for the Twenty20 World Cup. Their non-availability put wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the hot seat of captaincy. Dhoni led a bunch of young players to victory at the inaugural world championship of the newest form of cricket in South Africa.

That win gave India some of its future stars, who rose to the occasion when it mattered the most. They beat Pakistan in a nerve biting finish at the final, and the squad is now tipped to be the future of Indian cricket.

"I think this team has all the ingredients to be the world champions. The new guys are really good and they all are talented and will do the country proud in the coming days," said Ganguly, who won the best captain in 75 years of Indian Test cricket award.

Ganguly beat some of the biggest names of Indian cricket like Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Sunil Gavsakar and the late C.K. Nayudu and late Vinoo Mankad for the prestigious award.

"It is a great honour to be adjudged as the best captain of 75 years of Indian Test cricket. My best success as a captain, I think, will always remain beating Pakistan in their home in 2004," said Ganguly.

India defeated Pakistan for the first time on their soil to win a Test series in March 2004. The series was also memorable because Virender Sehwag became the first Indian to score a triple century with a solid knock of 309.

Ganguly had words of praise for Dhoni and said the 26-year-old should be given more time to click.

"I am sure he will take India to new cricketing heights. The only thing he lacks is experience and he should be given more time to gain it," said Ganguly.

On his role in the Indian team as a senior player, Ganguly said: "The only thing I have to do is to keep on performing. I have to keep on scoring runs.

"Performance and not age should be the criteria for selection in the team," he said.

KCR spreads T-sentiment among tribals

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao is making serious efforts to attract the tribals and rope in them into the Telangana movement, so as to garner their votes in the next elections.

Hitherto, KCR did not focus his attention on the tribals in the remote areas to realize his dream of Telangana State. They were neglected by mainstream political parties like the Congress and the TD, who used them only as vote banks. For the first time, the TRS president is trying to spread the Telangana sentiment among the tribals, stating that they would get due justice and political representation only if the Telangana State is formed. His participation in the death anniversary of Tribal Legendary in Jodenghat in Keramaeri mandal on October 26 is being viewed as an attempt to strengthen the TRS base among the tribals who can play role in deciding result of two reserved constituencies and in two general seats and MP seat.

Party sources said KCR would also tour in interior tribal villages in Narnoor, Jainoor, Sirpur (U) and interact with the bereaved families of tribals who died due to malaria, diarrohea and gastroenteritis. He would also planning to pay visit to the Indravelli martyrs memorial on the way to Jodenghat. KCR will participate in public meting in Nirmal on October 25 before participating in the Komuram Bheem's death anniversary in Jodenghat.

Fact Sheet: Babu becomes a farmer for votes

Former chief minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu is spending two days in Godavari sharing the problems of farmers, particularly those growing paddy. The East and the West Godavari districts play a crucial role in Assembly elections and the Telugu Desam had fared badly in both the places in May 2004 elections. These districts were once considered the bastion of the Telugu Desam. Now they are no more TD's citadel. The Congress has taken over the two districts. In a desperate attempt to woo back the voters to the Telugu Desam fold, Chandrababu Naidu took up the cause of paddy growers. He wants a support price of Rs 1000 per quintal to be given to paddy yields on par with wheat.

Though the Congress too took up the paddy issue with the Central government and Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy himself wrote a letter to Prime Minister, the TD leader went a step ahead to spend some time in the paddy fields "sharing" the woes of farmers and promising that he would give them the highest possible support price to paddy.

It's a different matter that Chandrababu Naidu did not pay attention to paddy or any agricultural crop when he was in power for about nine long years. Now that he is in the Opposition, he has realised that agriculture is not a wasteful excercise and helping or pretending to help farmers will fetch votes. It's a key to power and Chandrababu Naidu has realised a bit earlier.

Sachin back into top 10 ODI batsmen rankings

DUBAI(ANI): Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has moved back into the top 10 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings for One-Day International (ODI) batsmen. In the latest rankings issued on Monday, Sachin moved up three places to sit at joint 9th, alongside Chris Gayle of the West Indies.

He is the only Indian batsman in the top 10. Vice-captain Yuvraj Singh is at 15th place, while captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni occupies the 16th position.

On the debit side of the ledger, however, former captain Rahul Dravid has slipped seven places and is now lies in 22nd place. India's highest-placed bowler in the relevant table is Harbhajan Singh, down in 29th position.

Australia's Andrew Symonds is within touching distance of top spot in the ODI batsmen rankings.

The powerful right-hander, who bludgeoned a brutal 107 from just 88 balls against India in Nagpur on Sunday, has rocketed up six spots to second place and is now just eight rating points behind his captain and team-mate Ricky Ponting.

That rise is a reflection of his outstanding form during the ongoing series as he is the leading run-scorer from either side with 365 runs at an average of 91.25 and a strike-rate of 110.94 runs per hundred balls.

Symonds, who has reached a career-high tally of rating points, forms an impressive Australian 1-2-3 at the top of the batting table, behind Ponting but ahead of Matthew Hayden, the winner of the ODI Player of the Year award at the ICC Awards in September and the second highest run-getter in the current series.

Three other Australians are in the top 11 - Michael Hussey (5th), Michael Clarke (8th) and Adam Gilchrist (11th).

The news is just as good for Ponting's men in the bowling list with left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg breaking into the top 10 on the back of being joint leading wicket-taker (alongside team-mate Mitchell Johnson) in the India series with 11 victims.

Hogg is one of three Australia bowlers in that top 10 with Nathan Bracken (3rd) and Brett Lee (9th) also featuring.

Judicial probe drama irritating public

The challenge and counter-challenges made by Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu on the controversial judicial probe into the wealth amassed by the both since 1978 is becoming more and more farcical.

While declining the demand for a judicial probe only by a sitting judge, YSR has taken advantage of the comment made by the TD president that he was ready to face any inquiry, even if it is an Assembly committee, into the issue of who had built up more assets in the last 30 years. "Having ruled the State for about nine years, Naidu must be definitely aware that the High Court and Supreme Court will not spare a sitting judge to probe into the issues of individuals. Since the TD president himself agreed to face any inquiry, let him accept a judicial probe by a retired High Court judge, if he has any respect towards judicial probes," he observed.

Naidu has no answer, but to save his own skin, he is not accepting the offer, saying only a sitting judge can do an impartial job. And he is demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, if the inquiry has to be impartial. Since both the demands are not possible, the whole episode is creating an irritation to the people.

This is not the first time that both YSR and Naidu were involved in personal feuds. Since 1999, YSR had filed 11 petitions against Naidu and released 'documentary evidence' on him during the latter's tenure as CM. Now, YSR has turned tables on Naidu by ordering 22 different probes against Naidu's earlier acts of omission and commission. Naidu, on his part, has responded by rushing to the High Court with petitions against YSR on several issues. Apart from court battles, they have made disparaging comments against one another on several occasions. It is time for them to bury the hatchet as none of their predecessors as Chief Ministers or Leaders of Opposition indulged in personal vendetta against each other.

Fact Sheet: Nannapaneni stops her tantrums

Senior Telugu Mahila leader Nannapaneni Rajakumari has finally decided to call it quits. Her highest complaint forum, she decided, was the Raj Bhavan and interestingly not the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

She has blown out of proportions a small issue and attempted to derive maximum political mileage out of it. But she soon realised that it is bringing her ill repute and so she decided to stop it once and for all. First she approached the Hyderabad city police commissioner, then she approached the State Human Rights Commission and then she went to the Raj Bhavan to complain against the AP Mahila Congress president and MLC Ganga Bhavani and her followers. She fell in the trap laid by the TD leadership but when things failed to yield the desired result, she stopped from rushing to New Delhi with her complaint to the Prime Minister and the President.

The TD leadership used Rajakumari as a political pawn to settle scores with the Congress but there was no response from the common man. After all who is bothered whether Rajakumari is right or Ganga Bhavani is wrong or vice versa. What matters to the common man is peaceful life and sufficient earning to sustain self and family.

BJP to focus on attacking Chandrababu

Interesting as it might sound, the State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to concentrate on running down Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu in the coming days, rather than the Congress.

The BJP leaders, who had their executive meeting recently, expressed view that it was Chandrababu Naidu, who was responsible for the sorry state of affairs in the State BJP unit and lack of support to the party in the people. Several leaders felt that the dumping of Telangana issue, just for the sake of Chandrababu Naidu, had cost them heavily in the 2004 elections.

Therefore, the prime target of the State BJP leaders now is Chandrababu Naidu. They are making it a point to start their press conferences with a vitriolic attack on Naidu and his changed policies such as free power to farmers, Rs 2 a kg rice scheme and minority-appeasing policy. More than the Congress leaders, it is the BJP leaders like Vidyasagar Rao and Indrasena Reddy who are exposing Chandrababu. So, it will be a double whammy for Naidu!!

Behind The Scene: YSR engineers split in journalists

The recent High Court judgement quashing the Government Order on allotting housing sites to mediapersons, IAS officers and judges has come as a blessing in disguise for Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy.

The High Court ordered that if the government wants to allot house sites to the above sections, it should do it through housing societies, but not through official committees. While it is not a difficult task for the Chief Minister to form housing societies for IAS officers and judicial officers, he has found the judgement an excellent opportunity to engineer a split in the journalist community. There is already a Housing Cooperative Society for journalists, but YSR did not take into confidence while allotting plots to fresh batch of journalists.

Following the latest High Court judgement, the existing jounalists cooperative housing society appealed to the government to continue the process through it. However, YSR did not agree to the proposal, as the society is mostly dominated by journalists from Eenadu. So, he asked the journalists close to him to form another cooperative society through which the plots allotment could be done. This has vertically split the journalists community as pro- and anti-YSR groups. Now, both the groups want to approach the court again. This will delay the plot allotment exercise, which is what YSR wants. A tit for tat for YSR-bashers among the journalists!

Nostalgia: Doubts Raised On Kantha Rao’s Stammering?

This was the news of 1951. Kantha Rao acted in a small role in the film ‘Nirdoshi’. HM Reddy was the producer in that film. He told Kantha Rao not to act in small roles and promised that he would make him hero. But many have expressed doubts on giving hero chance for Kantha Rao saying, “Reddy garu! How can he become hero? He talks with stammering”.

Then Reddy replied, “This is not stage drama. We can edit till we get the output. Kantha Rao has got grace in face. He is disciplined and enthusiastic. He is also energetic. So we have to encourage”.

That’s how Kantha Rao became hero with the film ‘Pratigna’ (1953) and eventually turned folk hero on Telugu screen. This was the first film for Rajanala as villain as well.

YSR breathes easy, Reds disappointed

Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy is perhaps the happiest man among all politicians in the State, since Madam Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manomohan Singh officially announced that there would be no mid-term elections to Lok Sabha and that they were prepared to push the Nuclear deal into the cold storage for the sake of "coalition dharma."

For, he can defer implementation of all his pre-poll sops like Rs 2 a kg rice scheme, announced to woo the voters for the time being. YSR was wondering as to how to implement these schemes since there was no positive response from the Centre on funding them. At the same time, he had the responsibility of ensuring victory for the Congress in the mid-term elections, if they are held. Now that there are no mid-term polls in the near future, YSR can postpone implementation of his promises at a later date and make a fresh announcement just a few months before the next elections to be held as per schedule.

The biggest disappointment is for the Left parties. They thought it would be advantageous for them if the mid-term elections are held. The national leadership of the CPI-M instructed their local leaders to have a tie-up with the Telugu Desam in the mid-term elections and that would have been definitely a serious problem for the Congress. Now, all their hopes are shattered. YSR has heaved a sigh of relief!!

Fact Sheet: Botsa has his mark even in CWC!

Minister for Housing Botsa Satyanarayana is well-known for his manipulating skills and political maneuvering, thanks to his proximity to Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy.

Now, it is evident that he has extended his influence to even the Congress high command in New Delhi. Gandhi Bhavan sources say, Botsa played a behind the screen role in securing the membership for Parvatipuram MP Y Kishore Chandra Deo in the prestigious Congress Working Committee, so as to consolidate his position in the district. Though junior to Kishore Chandra Deo in politics, Botsa has managed to gain an upper hand in the district politics, thanks to the rivalry between Kishore and Forest Minister Satrucherla Vijayarama Raju. Relations between Kishore and Satrucharla strained further with the differences erupting in the election of nominated posts which was encashed by Botsa.

So, when Kishore came to the district a couple of days ago, Botsa played a major role in making arrangements for welcoming the new CWC member. The entire town area was bedecked with welcome arches and huge cutouts of Botsa and Kishore. However, the group belonging to Satrucharla abstained from the welcome ceremony.

Venkaiah Naidu to take over TV channel?

Bharatiya Janata Party national vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu is learnt to be evincing interest in entering the electronic media business soon.

According to reliable sources, Venkaiah Naidu is planning to take over the newly launched Telugu channel NTV, originally promoted by Narendranath Chowdary. This channel has a disastrous start with absolutely no professionalism and home work. The TRP ratings were drastically low and many journalists, who joined the channel, deserted it and joined the other channels. It gained the image as a poor cousin of popular TV channel TV9.

Therefore, Chowdary reportedly put up the NTV for sale and Venkaiah Naidu showed interest in taking over. He is contacting his friends in the BJP and also in the media to work out how to transform this channel into a professional one. Hope things work out for him, soon.

Jaipal prefers Miryalguda to Mahbubnagar!

Union Minister for Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy, who prefers to stay in the national capital by maintaining a high profile, has suddenly realised that he is representing a Parliamentary constituency called Miryalguda and that he needs to get elected from there again, if there are mid-term elections.

The feedback he has obtained from his party leaders in Nalgonda, that the people of his constituency are not happy with him, as he hardly attends to their problems. They suggested that it would be better for him to move to his native district Mahbubnagar in the next Lok Sabha elections.

But, Jaipal Reddy knows it would be difficult for him to get elected from Mahbubnagar, because the Telangana sentiment is fast picking up there and the people might not vote for the Congress. Moreover, it would make him antagonise several aspirants in Mahbubnagar, particularly the sitting MP Vithal Rao.

So, he reportedly told his friends that he would contest only from Miryalguda, the safe option. To win back the confidence of his voters, Jaipal Reddy is now coming to the constituency regularly on the weekends, visiting the villages, attending to their problems. He even skipped the Iftar party given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi and hosted his own Iftar party for the local Muslims in Miryalguda. That is election politics!!

Judicial probe into assets of Reddy, Naidu

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Dr YS Rajashekar Reddy is set to make history by announcing a judicial inquiry into his and his family members’ assets and those of TDP president Mr N Chandrababu Naidu and his family. The official announcement would be made this weekend.

On Monday, Mr Naidu had alleged that Dr Reddy “collects” Rs 1 crore every hour. The next day, Dr Reddy said he was willing to face an inquiry and challenged Mr Naidu to face one himself. On Wednesday, Mr Naidu agreed, but TDP spokesmen insisted on an inquiry by a sitting High Court judge.

Dr Reddy continued discussions for the second day today with such close aides as finance minister Mr K Rosaiah and adviser to government Dr KVP Ramachandra Rao, apart from senior law department officials. Dr Reddy is trying to have an inquiry conducted by a sitting High Court Judge. But law officials told Dr Reddy there is a Supreme Court judgment that sitting judges cannot be spared for any inquiry. Andhra Pradesh High Court over the past 15 years has turned down requests to spare a sitting judge because of work pressure. In the last three-and-a-half years of the Congress government, the High Court turned down two such requests.

“Dr Reddy has decided to order an inquiry. The inquiry will cover assets held by both families in 1978, when they entered politics," a senior aide of Dr Reddy told media.

Meanwhile, senior TDP leader T Devender Goud demanded judicial probe by a sitting judge of Supreme Court or High Court into the assets.

Addressing a press conference here, Goud, a former home minister, sought an all-party meeting to fix the terms of reference for the proposed judicial commission.

Shaking hands is insulting for this Desam leader!

Nobody knows why Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu has made former minister K Vijayarama Rao as president of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Telugu Desam unit, but the party activists are highly disappointed with this person.

For, Vijayarama Rao considers himself as a high-profile leader and has never maintained any close relationship with the grassroot party workers. As a result, there is a huge gap between him and the party workers. The other day, a senior leader of the Hyderabad City TD unit, went to meet Vijayarama Rao and had to wait for more than two hours to get the appointment. When Vijayarama Rao came out of his house finally, this leader streched his hand for a shake-hand, but the former did not respond. Apparently felt humiliated, this leader told Vijayarama Rao to learn how to shake hands with the party leaders and workers. "Sir, you are not a police officer now nor are you a minister. You are leading the party in Hyderabad. You should learn shaking hands with the workers, so that they feel intimate to you," he said.

Vijayarama Rao was taken aback and told the leader that he had never shaken hands with anybody, except his superiors in the police department and assured that he would learn this manners.

Fact Sheet: Cong, TD let loose women power

Men politicians have taken a back seat for the time being, or so it appears. For the first time in the history of politics in Hyderabad, women groups have come forward to take on face-to-face in a bid to settle score. There have been wordy duels time and again but physical attacks have been quite rare, almost nil.

On centrestage are two women, ambitious and want to make it big in the political arena of the State. On one side is AP Mahila Congress chief Ganga Bhavani and on the other is the former Telugu Mahila chief Nannapaneni Rajakumari. Rajakumari had been a legislator and now Ganga Bhavani is also a legislator. But both are aiming at still bigger, may be ministership or at least a berth in the Rajya Sabha.

It was just a small issue but Rajakumari unnecessary opened her mouth to dish out foul words against Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy. Apparently with the RS polls just four months away, she wants to please party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu.

On the other hand, Ganga Bhavani led a sort of physical attack on Rajakumari. The TD leader lodged a complaint with the city police commissioner.

so far, so good.

But a leading Telugu daily, known for its Telugu Desam leanings, took advantage of the fight and devoted much space to the event, which otherwise could have been dismissed in a single column. The newspaper apparently wants to present the Congress in a bad image to benefit the Telugu Desam.

Behind The Scene: Babu and his 'welfare' patent

This is the intellectual property rights and patents regime. And former chief minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu, who took pride in being called the chief executive officer of Andhra Pradesh when he was in power, is adept in issues relating to patents and intellectual property rights. Though Chandrababu Naidu is a poor reader, his advisers keep him abreast of latest developments from time to time.

When Chandrababu Naidu comes to know of a new word, he uses it quite often. Perhaps he has a penchant for new words. And the word we are talking about now is patent.

The Telugu Desam leadership claims that it alone had the patent on welfare schemes and no political party in the country had introduced any welfare programme before the birth of the Telugu Desam 25 years ago. It means in other words, India had no welfare programmes from 1947 or earlier till 1983. The Congress leadership, the TD argues, has no right to claim right or patent on welfare schemes. The TD leadership has forgotten that it was the Congress which had declared India a welfare state while framing the Constitution on the country.

Chandrababu Naidu now claims that the Congress is copying his ideas and violating the patent Act by taking up welfare schemes.

More freebies to voters, this time from Lok Satta!!

Looks like all the political parties want to take the voters for a ride by announcing freebies to attract their votes in the mid-term polls. Not only the main parties -- the Congress and the Telugu Desam, every small or big political party is also in the race to fool the people, without understanding the financial implications of such free schemes.

The so-called idealistic party, Lok Satta, established by former bureacrat Jayaprakash Narayan, is also no exception. It has also promised nine-hour free power supply to farmers, if it comes to power in the State. And realising that he has exhausted all the existing schemes, JP has come out with a new free scheme – providing health care facilities to all people free of cost. He is promising that irrespective of the financial status, all the people would get free medical facilities at all government hospitals. There would be no user charges or paid services.

But the whole problem is whether the people would take Lok Satta so seriously. If JP thinks he can come to power by making false promises, he is certainly in fool's paradise. The people are not beggars after all. All that they want is quality of life, even if it is at a cost. They will give their verdict not on the basis of freebies, but on the credibility and performance of the political parties!!

YSR hits Diwakar Reddy below the belt!

These days, Minister for Panchayat Raj J C Diwakar Reddy is fretting and fuming at Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy. Eversince, the Chief Minister came to know that Diwakar Reddy had been running a campaign against him (YSR) among the local body representatives, he had kept an eye on the minister's activities. It has come to his notice that Diwakar Reddy collected huge amounts from the local bodies employees.

So, YSR decided to checkmate Diwakar's plans. As part of this strategy, he has ordered Transport Commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah to curb the illegal transport activities of Diwakar Travels (owned by the minister), apart from the other private transport operators. Everyday, Diwakar Travels runs large number of buses from Hyderabad to different parts of Rayalaseema and Bangalore and with one go, all these bus services came to a grinding halt.

Those who know the past record of the Chief Minister can recall that Diwakar and YSR never used to see eye to eye and they were running their own groups. There were instances of one group attacking the other in Rayalaseema. Diwakar brought out several pamphlets and books against YSR and his family, which provided a lot of fodder for the Telugu Desam later. However, after YSR came to power, he had a patch up with Diwakar. The elimination of Paritala Ravi removed a major hurdle for Diwakar. And in the process of establishing himself as a powerful leader in Anantapur, he once again started questioning the authority of YSR. Indications are that they might fall apart sooner or later.

Hyderabad Buzz: Sexy Middle Aged Ladies!

There was a 30 minute program last night on a TV channel. It was about sexy middle and old aged ladies. The program was rolled on the occasion of Rekha turning 53. The entire program was about what makes Jayasudha, Jayaprada, Sreedevi, Rekha and Hema Malini look younger and beautiful without the signs of old age.

It was said that it is the professional success that makes them look younger and active. It is known fact that these ladies have several disturbances in their personal lives but they keep everything for themselves and still look lively with smiles. Finally the 30 minute program concluded that it is not the power of cosmetics and beauty therapies but only the happiness that makes people look younger. That happiness can be in the form of professional success or personal success. But for heroines the daily routine activities like exercises as per their professional demand is adding fuel for their beauty.

That's true indeed.

YSR's Rs 3-crore ultra modern bus

Andhra CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy gets himself a bulletproof bus designed by Dilip Chhabria, with high-end communication facilities
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is trying to make sure that his political journey is literally a smooth one.

A Rs 3-crore ultra modern office-cum-residence on wheels is being created for him by Dilip Chhabria’s DC Designs.

Keeping in mind the terror threats and Naxalites, the bus will be a bulletproof armored vehicle with mine-proof flooring.

The bus will function as a mini office, offering all the facilities of a high-end communication centre with fax, Internet and satellite dish.

Besides, the bus will be equipped with internal communication system. Those operating the bus would be able to view everything around the bus with front, side and rear-view cameras.

That’s not all — the CM would be able to carry out extensive election campaigns, and public contact programmes from this bus.

“It will have a captain’s chair next to the driver’s seat, from where the CM can campaign,” said George Thomas, a senior designer at DC Designs.

Reddy is said to have ordered this bus after taking a look at a similar bus designed by DC Designs for Karnataka MLA Janardhan Reddy.

The bus will have a lift cubicle similar to an elevator — a raised platform in the middle of the bus, with bulletproof glass on three sides, and steel wall on the rear.

The cubicle can be hydraulically lifted to the top of the roof. The CM can even address a public meeting, or a rally from this cubicle.

The guest lounge within the bus has been provided with nine recliner seats and a 42-inch LCD television.

The bus will also have a VIP master bedroom with a pantry, sofa-cum bed, a bathroom and of course, a vacuum toilet.

Fact Sheet: Babu's 'irrigation mission' backfires

Former chief minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu may call off his ongoing "inspection visits" to irrigation projects in the State. So far he has visited two irrigation projects and he is likely to call of the visits after "inspecting" a couple of projects more.

And what is the reason for not visiting all the irrigation projects which are currently under construction? According to Telugu Desam sources, Babu has decided against visiting all the projects for the simple reason that he could not find any major corruption which he could highlight. People have become wiser and they do not want to believe what politicians simply dish out. People now want hard facts and any allegation should be backed by strong documentary evidence. Simple statements alleging that so and so has knocked off such and such amount would not go well with the electorate.

Chandrababu Naidu and his "engineering team" did not come across any documentary evidence except a few procedural lapses. It is not that there was no corruption in the irrigation deal. But one should come out with concrete evidence. In India it is simply impossible to prove charges of corruption. Instead of taking up the exercise in futility, Chandrababu Naidu has been advised by party seniors to concentrate more on strengthening the party leadership and cadre. They do not want him to spend time on things that would not fetch votes in real terms.

Why politicians are averse to Chiranjeevi?

Many people are awaiting the entry of film actor Chiranjeevi into politics. But a few group of people are against his entry. And who are they? None other than our politicians. According to sources, politicians of all political parties do not want Chiranjeevi to enter politics. And many of them do not want to join the Chiranjeevi's party, in case he forms one. The reasons are obvious.

If Chiranjeevi enters into political arena, the political career of many of our politicians, irrespective of their party affiliations, will come to an end. He will take fresh faces into the party and give them tickets, like NTR did when he floated the Telugu Desam in 1982-83.

Secondly, the politicians do not want to join Chiranjeevi even if he invites them for the simple reason that Chiranjeevi will call the shots and they will be reduced to just puppets. And which politician want to take orders from a film star?

Cricket: Tendulkar set for 400th one-dayer

India superstar Sachin Tendulkar will on Thursday become the second player to feature in 400 one-day internationals.

Tendulkar will open the batting against Australia in the fifth match of the seven-ODI series against Australia, with the tourists leading 2-1.

Meanwhile, uncapped batsman Subramaniam Badrinath, 27, comes into the squad to replace the injured Gautam Gambhir.

He hit a double century for India A against South Africa and said of his chance: "It's a dream come true."

Badrinath added: "Playing for India has been a childhood dream for me and I am delighted that I am close to achieving that now."

Gambhir will miss the rest of the series after sitting out Monday's victory over the world champions.

The toss in Vadodara on Thursday could be absolutely crucial, with no team yet able to post a win when batting second.

Their batsmen had struggled until that triumph in Chandigarh, in which Tendulkar made a battling 79 and Sourav Ganguly weighed in with 41.

Chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar warned last week that senior players' places would come under threat from the likes of Badrinath unless their form improved.

He said of the Tamil Nadu right-hander: "Players like Badrinath are waiting for their chance and you cannot ignore them.

"It's a professional set-up and nobody can take their place for granted."

The squad for the remaining two matches will be decided after Thursday's encounter.

Meanwhile, Sree Santh, India's fast bowler, has admitted he taunted Andrew Symonds after the Australian batsman was dismissed on Monday.

Santh told reporters he used the words: "Hard luck, you're going to lose now" to the Queensland all-rounder, but denied allegations that he had also clapped in his face.

The irony was that the hot-headed Santh had been rested for the encounter, but was in the vicinty of Australia's batsmen as they walked back to the dressing-room.

India have lost just once in five matches in Vadodara, a city in the dry state of Gujarat, and racked up 341-3 in beating West Indies here in January.

The only other player to reach 400 caps in one-dayers is Sanath Jayasuriya, 38, who on Wednesday was playing his 402nd match in Colombo against England.

Ramoji Rao Learning Lessons From Ravi Prakash

Ramaoji Rao's ETV is known for giving no individual recognition for the News Reporters. On the other hand TV 9 Ravi Prakash made it a revolution by giving recognition for many of the reporters and News Readers working with him. There are many celebrities from TV9 right from Kareem, Swapna to Deepti Agarwal and many. But Ramoji with bureaucratic mentality always wished that ETV should sound the names of only his family.

But now looking at the progressive approach of Ravi Prakash, media baron Ramoji is learning to pacify his employees. There is heavy retrenchment in ETV from many weeks. The only reason is less salaries and lack of recognition. To stop that exodus, Ramoji started giving individual recognition for a few reporters and analysts.

So TV9 has indirectly taught a lesson to ETV.

Ramaoji Rao's ETV is known for giving no individual recognition for the News Reporters. On the other hand TV 9 Ravi Prakash made it a revolution by giving recognition for many of the reporters and News Readers working with him. There are many celebrities from TV9 right from Kareem, Swapna to Deepti Agarwal and many. But Ramoji with bureaucratic mentality always wished that ETV should sound the names of only his family.

But now looking at the progressive approach of Ravi Prakash, media baron Ramoji is learning to pacify his employees. There is heavy retrenchment in ETV from many weeks. The only reason is less salaries and lack of recognition. To stop that exodus, Ramoji started giving individual recognition for a few reporters and analysts.

So TV9 has indirectly taught a lesson to ETV.

SV Ranga Rao In Kapu Politics Agenda

An informal get together of some Kapu MLAs was held in Krishna district couple of days ago. They have discussed on various topics to tighten the Kapu unity for coming elections with a taken for granted assumption that Chiranjeevi will enter politics.

Apart from routine aspects in the discussion, the topic of SV Ranga Rao has seen light. Popular film actor of the past, SV Ranga Rao was a kapu and the Kapu leaders proposed to bring bigger glory for this actor by setting up statues and announcing an award on his name that gives bigger prize money than that of NTR Award. Although the proposal appears to be made with loose ends, if we recall what Chiranjeevi said a few months ago, it sounds something relevant. Chiranjeevi, when asked to name his favorite Telugu actor, he said 'SV Ranga Rao'. For that matter, even Kaikala Satyanarayana, another Kapu actor imitates SV Ranga Rao while portraying different roles.

Although SV Ranga Rao's image cannot push Kapu politics, he may get some added glory if Kapus come to power using Chirajeevi's image.

Buzz: Devendar Goud unhappy with Babu?

It seems senior Telugu Desam leader and former home minister T Devendar Goud is not happy with party chief N Chandrababu Naidu over latter's undue haste in announcing populist schemes even while he was busy drafting the party's alternative economic policy.

According to sources, Devendar Goud had confided with his close followers that Babu had rushed through the annoucements. Devendar Goud, as convener of the Telugu Desam's alternative economic policy committee, was expecting Chandrababu Naidu to make announcements only after the panel submits the report. But Chandrababu Naidu wanted to nullify the effect the Devendar Goud committee would have if it comes out with the annoucements. So Chandrababu Naidu wanted to prove that he is the real architect of the economic policy and not Devendar Goud. This was amply clear at the way the TD chief was moving uneasily in his chair while Devendar Goud gave the powerpoint presentation.

All the points Devendar Goud wanted to cover were hijacked by Chandrababu Naidu and this left nothing new for the former home minister to announce in the alternative economic policy.

Drop in farmer suicides boosts Cong morale

Hyderabad: A radical drop in the number of suicides by farmers in 2007 has boosted the morale of the ruling Congress party that has been at the receiving end from its erstwhile poll allies __ the left-wing parties and TRS__ who have accused the state of not coming to the rescue of the farming community.

Though the existing 141 suicides in 2007 too is a cause for worry to the state government, revenue officials said that the state’s policy of supporting agriculture by giving sops to small and marginalised farmers, along with building new infrastructure has started yielding dividends. “This is the most responsive and farmer-friendly government ever in the state. Our chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has given AP a new face-lift with rural-oriented policies as well as creating an investor-friendly atmosphere,” said agriculture minister N Raghuveera Reddy.

“We have been able to instill a sense of confidence among the farming community that has been plagued by vagaries of nature and continuous neglect by the erstwhile TDP government. The vision of chief minister in ensuring free power, liberal subsidised farm inputs, ‘unhindered credit’ and a remunerative price for the produce have all resulted in a changed mindset of the farmer. The state’s relief and rehabilitation for distressed farmers too has provided succour and financial relief,” the minister said.

Airing similar views, Congress spokesperson and council MLC Paladugu Venkat Rao said: “The state has spent around Rs 21,000 crore in the first three years for building irrigation projects and increasing the ayacut by 15 lakh acres. Apart from taking up welfare measures like pensions, housing and health insurance, the government has been working towards economic empowerment of farmers in the state. These measures have succeeded in mitigating woes of the debt-ridden farmer and restricted farmer suicides this year in 18 districts to single digits,” he said.

Revenue officials said that contrary to the trend in the past three years, suicide by farmers has come down to as low as 141. No farmer suicide deaths have been reported this year from Warangal, West Godavari, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Mahbubnagar. In 2004, at least 1,212 farmers committed suicide, followed by 657 in 2005 and 514 in 2006.

Officials, however, cautioned at the ongoing farm crisis in districts like Adilabad, Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool where the deaths have been relatively high this year against a radical slide across the state. Adilabad recorded 45 suicides, followed by 26 in Anantapur and 13 each in Kurnool and Kadapa. The high suicide rate in Adilabad has been attributed to failure of borewells and spurious cotton seeds.

Meanwhile, revenue officials identified mounting debts, crop failure, illness and vagaries of nature as reasons for farmers to end their lives. While Anantapur farmers have been plagued by increasing bad debts, farmers in Kurnool have ended lives due to loss of crop (onion, sunflower and tomatoes) to heavy rain and flooding, apart from mounting debts.

FRESH LEASE OF LIFE
Contrary to the trend in the past three years, suicide by farmers has come down to as low as 141. No farmer suicide deaths have been reported so far this year from Warangal, West Godavari, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Mahbubnagar.

Officials, however, cautioned at the ongoing farm crisis in districts like Adilabad, Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool where the deaths have been relatively high this year against a radical slide across the state.

Behind The Scene: CPI building castles in air!

The Communist Party of India is hoping that it would emerge as an independent alternative to the Congress and the Telugu Desam in the State.

Sounds a big joke? But, CPI Central committee member Puvvada Nageshwara Rao feels it is possible, as the people have high hopes on the CPI and want to see it as their new hope. He asked his party cadres to strengthen the party and prepare for the mid-term elections.

Puvvada, who once played a second fiddle to former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and behaved like his stooge to gain some personal benefits like medical college, now says the party will win the confidence of the people by focusing on their problems. He is of the view that the political equations will take shape on their own from the strategies of other parties. "Whether the mid-term elections become a

reality or not, CPI should stay tuned to the task of protecting people's interests" he told the party activists.

SC told ‘reservation not needed for Muslims in AP’

New Delhi: Muslims in Andhra Pradesh are proportionately represented in employment and they did not require any special law like four per cent reservations in professional and educational institutions in the state, the Supreme Court was told on Tuesday by the petitioners opposing it.

Quoting the data from the first report on religion: census of India, 2001, the petitioners in response to the affidavit filed by the centre said "the percentage of Muslims in employment (in the State) is 9.26 per cent as against the percentage of population of 9.2 per cent".

"Thus, the employment is more than the proportionate to their population and the Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh is proportionately represented in employment. Therefore, Muslim community does not require any special provision," T Murlidhar Rao, the petitioner opposing the law said in his counter affidavit.

The affidavit filed through senior advocate Ramakrishna Reddy said any alleged comparison of the Muslim community with other states will serve no purpose as the backwardness was a relative criterion and has to be compared with rest of the society within the state.

It said before providing the reservation, the backward class commission has not conducted the survey of entire population as ordered by the Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney (Mandal) case.

Further, the commission has not identified the criteria for identifying the BCS and it just adopted the report of advisor P S Krishnan, the affidavit said adding that it was the third attempt to provide reservation to Muslims.

The petitioners said there are several other communities who did not have any opportunity for reservation for the last 20 years.

They contended that Muslims were not deprived of admissions in educational institutions in the state and there were number of minority professional colleges providing admissions exclusively to them.

Andhra Pradesh government has maintained that the law was not on religious lines but based on careful identification of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) among the community.

The apex court, while stopping any further admissions under the controversial law on September 28, had sought response from the Andhra Pradesh government on sub categorisation of SEBC Muslims for extending the benefit of reservation.

Defending the legislation, the state government said "neither the act nor the report of the commission based on which an ordinance was promulgated and subsequently the act was passed can be termed as religion based".

The Andhra Pradesh government has accepted the report of the P S Krishnan Report (Krishnan) Commission which contended that bulk of Muslim SEBCS were lost sight of over several decades, whereas other groups had the benefit of reservations for over 30 years, including scheduled castes converted to Christianity.

The petition filed by T Murlidhar Rao and K Sriteja has contended that providing reservations exclusively to the Muslim community on religious lines was violative of articles 15(1) and 16(2) of the constitution.

Bureau Report