Govt to come up with sand policy soon to solve the crisis
Express News Service
Hyderabad: With the severe shortage of river sand hitting the construction industry hard, the state government is now slowly shifting its focus on manufactured sand.
The government will soon come up with a policy on manufactured sand as resumption of quarrying of river sand
may get delayed due to environmental concerns.
The total demand for sand in the state is 2 crore cubic metres per annum. But the projected production of sand in the next few months will be 1.7 crore cubic metres only.
With the recent Supreme Court direction, sand mining has been completely stopped for now in the state. Consequently, construction activity has come to a grinding halt. Now, the government is planning to encourage the use of manufactured sand as an alternative to river sand to meet the growing demand.
“I have discussed with the industry about the production of manufactured sand in the state. Manufactured sand is currently being used in concrete work. Government experts will examine whether it can be used in plastering of walls and construction of bridges and government buildings,” mines and geology minister Galla Aruna Kumari said, after holding a meeting with the owners of stone crushers on Wednesday.
However, manufactured sand is not new to the state. The Robo Sand factory set up at Keesara 12 years ago, is the first manufactured sand unit in the country. Later, 22 manufactured sand units have come up in the state.
Robo Sand managing director Vijay K Kosaraju, who attended the meeting held by the minister, said manufactured sand could also be used for plastering. “We are able to meet the demand for sand for concrete work. We have already developed sand for plastering,” Vijay told Express.
The unit is currently producing 5 lakh cubic metres of sand against the total
demand for 17 lakh cubic metres of the construction industry in Hyderabad . Vijay said his plant capacity could be doubled within six months to one year. “If the government announces a tax holiday, more entrepreneurs will set up manufactured sand units in the state, which will solve the sand crisis,” Vijay said.
However, Aruna Kumari said she would ask the engineers-in-chief to study the use of manufactured sand in plastering work and construction of bridges.
“China, US and several Middle East countries are using manufactured sand. We will send our experts to one or two countries to study the matter. We will also send a team to Gujarat where the use of manufactured sand in construction activity is high,” the minister said.
The rate of river sand is `2,000 to `2,500 per tonne. Whereas the manufactured sand costs `750 only. “When the rate of river sand was `650 per tonne, manufactured sand cost `450 only,” Vijay said.
GRAPHIC
Demand for sand per annum: 2 crore cubic metres
Projected production: 1.7 crore cubic metres
Features
Manufactured sand is an alternative to river sand
Stone crushers crush granite into small particles which is called manufactured sand
River sand particles are round in shape while that of manufactured sand cubical in shape
Rate of river sand is `2,000 to `2,500 per tonne
Manufactured sand costs `750 per tonne
Friday 18 May 2012
Sunday 6 May 2012
Maharashtra deal inked for Pranahita-Chevella
Andhra Pradesh on Saturday took a quantum leap to mitigate people of perennially drought affected Telangana region, by signing an agreement with Maharashtra government for construction of BR Amedkar Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi project.
The agreement was signed by principal secretaries of Irrigation SK Joshi (AP) and Eknath B Patil (Maharashtra) in the presence Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and his Maharashtra counterpart Prithviraj Chavan at Sharam Shakti Bhavan in Delhi as Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal looked on.
The project would cost Rs 40,300 crore as per the latest estimate. It will help both the states to cater to the needs of both irrigation and drinking.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated AP government for the agreement. States should amicably solve the water problems, the Prime Minister said while appreciating Kiran Reddy government.
After the agreement was signed, an elated Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the agreement would secure all clearances for the project and also to get national project status.
"Prananita-Chevella will be the life line for Telangana. The agreement has been signed in national interest," the Chief The Chief Minister said. "We will complete the project as soon as possible," he added. He said submergence of lands was more in Maharashtra. If there was no agreement with Maharashtra, the matter would face legal hurdles which would delay the construction of the project.
Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the government was also working out to reach an agreement with Chhattisgarh and Orissa government on Polavaram projects. The States should solve water-related issues, he added.
As there was an agreement with Maharashtra now, it was easy to get national project status for Pranahita-Chevella. He said that 90 per cent funds of the project would be born by the Central, if it was conferred national project status. The Pranahita-Chevella was already in the Prime Minister's package and was eligible for 57 per cent funding from the Centre. "There is no dearth of funds for irrigation projects," Kiran Reddy added. He said that tenders were called for the project and some works were under progress. "We have already spent Rs 1,670 crore on the project," he added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Chavan said: "Both states will benefit from the project and therefore both the states will work together for better utilisation of Godavari waters. We, together, will handle submergence issue". Chavan said that two districts in Maharashtra would get water under Pranahita-Chevella project.
BENEFITS:
The project envisages diversion of 160 tmcft water by constructing a barrage across River Pranahita, a major tributary to River Godavari. It further utilises 20 TMC of water from River Godavari at Sripada Yellampally Project. The project is intended to irrigate a command area of 16.40 lakh acres in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Warangal, Ranga Reddy, and Nalgonda districts of drought prone areas in Telangana region.
Besides irrigation, the project also envisages provisions for drinking water, industrial requirements and drinking water to twin cities of Hyderabad. Of the 40 tmc meant for drinking water 30 tmc would be diverted to Hyderabad and the remaining 10 tmc for other towns and villages enroute to Hyderabad.
Water distribution:
* 124 tmc water to irrigate 16.40 lakh acres in seven districts in Telangana.
* 10 tmc for drinking water needs to the enroute villages and towns.
* 30 tmc for drinking water needs of GHMC.
* 16 tmc will be utilised for industrial needs.
District-wise ayacut in acres
Adilabad 1,56,500
Karimnagar 1,71,449
Nizamabad 3,04,500
Medak 5,19,152
Nalgonda 2,29,832
Ranga Reddy 2,46,704
Warangal 11,863
TOTAL 16,40,000
Clearances
In-principle clearance for submission of DPR has been accorded by the CWC in April 2010.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is submitted to the Central Water Commission in October 2010 and is under scrutiny in various directorates and their remarks are being attended.
It requires clearances from 12 directorates.
Clearances received so far:
Central Soil Material Research Station (CSMRS)
Construction Machinery Consultancy (CMC)
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).
The agreement was signed by principal secretaries of Irrigation SK Joshi (AP) and Eknath B Patil (Maharashtra) in the presence Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and his Maharashtra counterpart Prithviraj Chavan at Sharam Shakti Bhavan in Delhi as Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal looked on.
The project would cost Rs 40,300 crore as per the latest estimate. It will help both the states to cater to the needs of both irrigation and drinking.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated AP government for the agreement. States should amicably solve the water problems, the Prime Minister said while appreciating Kiran Reddy government.
After the agreement was signed, an elated Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the agreement would secure all clearances for the project and also to get national project status.
"Prananita-Chevella will be the life line for Telangana. The agreement has been signed in national interest," the Chief The Chief Minister said. "We will complete the project as soon as possible," he added. He said submergence of lands was more in Maharashtra. If there was no agreement with Maharashtra, the matter would face legal hurdles which would delay the construction of the project.
Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the government was also working out to reach an agreement with Chhattisgarh and Orissa government on Polavaram projects. The States should solve water-related issues, he added.
As there was an agreement with Maharashtra now, it was easy to get national project status for Pranahita-Chevella. He said that 90 per cent funds of the project would be born by the Central, if it was conferred national project status. The Pranahita-Chevella was already in the Prime Minister's package and was eligible for 57 per cent funding from the Centre. "There is no dearth of funds for irrigation projects," Kiran Reddy added. He said that tenders were called for the project and some works were under progress. "We have already spent Rs 1,670 crore on the project," he added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Chavan said: "Both states will benefit from the project and therefore both the states will work together for better utilisation of Godavari waters. We, together, will handle submergence issue". Chavan said that two districts in Maharashtra would get water under Pranahita-Chevella project.
BENEFITS:
The project envisages diversion of 160 tmcft water by constructing a barrage across River Pranahita, a major tributary to River Godavari. It further utilises 20 TMC of water from River Godavari at Sripada Yellampally Project. The project is intended to irrigate a command area of 16.40 lakh acres in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Warangal, Ranga Reddy, and Nalgonda districts of drought prone areas in Telangana region.
Besides irrigation, the project also envisages provisions for drinking water, industrial requirements and drinking water to twin cities of Hyderabad. Of the 40 tmc meant for drinking water 30 tmc would be diverted to Hyderabad and the remaining 10 tmc for other towns and villages enroute to Hyderabad.
Water distribution:
* 124 tmc water to irrigate 16.40 lakh acres in seven districts in Telangana.
* 10 tmc for drinking water needs to the enroute villages and towns.
* 30 tmc for drinking water needs of GHMC.
* 16 tmc will be utilised for industrial needs.
District-wise ayacut in acres
Adilabad 1,56,500
Karimnagar 1,71,449
Nizamabad 3,04,500
Medak 5,19,152
Nalgonda 2,29,832
Ranga Reddy 2,46,704
Warangal 11,863
TOTAL 16,40,000
Clearances
In-principle clearance for submission of DPR has been accorded by the CWC in April 2010.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is submitted to the Central Water Commission in October 2010 and is under scrutiny in various directorates and their remarks are being attended.
It requires clearances from 12 directorates.
Clearances received so far:
Central Soil Material Research Station (CSMRS)
Construction Machinery Consultancy (CMC)
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).
Jagan’s K-scare to TDP
V V Balakrishna
Last Updated : 06 May 2012 08:28:37 AM IST
HYDERABAD: Though, caste is not an uncommon factor in Andhra Pradesh politics, the division has become well defined in the run up to 2014 elections. YSR Congress Party which has the Reddy caste tag is now wooing Kammas from Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which has an affinity with the Kammas. YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy represents the Reddy caste, while TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is from Kamma and cine actor Chiranjeevi who merged his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) with Congress represents another numerically strong Kapu caste.
With votes of three dominant castes being divided among three major political parties, now Jagan is trying to woo Kamma leaders from TDP in Krishna and Guntur districts under ‘Operation K—Kamma’.Chandrababu Naidu’s cold war with TDP Rajya Sabha MP and N T Rama Rao’s third son Nandamuri Harikrishna and his son NTR Jr has come in handy for Jagan to aggressively execute its ‘Operation K’. Differences crept into them during the TDP’s annual conclave Mahandu in May 2011. In the party conclave TDP activists tried to project Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh Naidu as future leader. This upset Harikrishna and NTR Jr; they were miffed with Chandrababu Naidu’s attitude. Harikrishna too is angry with Naidu’s choice of Rajya Sabha candidates in the recent elections. Harikrishna also could not digest the fact that his brother and cine actor Nandamuri Balakrishna was given more importance in the party. While, Harikrishna is attending party meetings occasionally, NTR Jr has distanced himself with TDP and its chief Naidu.Cashing in on the differences within the TDP, YSRCP is luring several Kamma leaders, whose affinity is for the Telugu Desam, in order to strengthen its base in Krishna and Guntur districts which are the strongholds of Kammas. This is seen as the reason behind Jagan hugging TDP Vijayawada Urban unit president and NTR Jr’s close follower Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, a Kamma, in full public glare.Kodali Nani, MLA and another close follower of Harikrishna and his actor-son, seems to have counselled Vamsi to hold his horses. But, according to sources, Vamsi is firm and is likely to make some positive remarks on Jagan in his written explanation in reply to the show-cause notice issued by the TDP. Now it is amply clear that the hug on the road was not just an accident but pre-planned, the sources said.But, the Vamsi incident is not the first fallout of YSRCP’s ‘Operation K’. When YSRCP was launched, it lured Makineni Peda Rattaiah, another prominent Kamma leader of TDP from Guntur who had strained relations with TDP chief Naidu. But Rathaiah’s honeymoon with Jagan did not last long and he quit the YSRCP. Now, the YSRCP is sending feelers to another Kamma leader in Guntur district with the offer of a Lok Sabha seat. If the leader, who has some personal image, joins the YSRCP, it will be a big catch for Jagan.At Tenali in Guntur district, Nannapaneni Rajakumari’s daughter and son-in-law have joined the YSRCP, which made Chandrababu Naidu sideline her in the TDP.NTR's daughter Daggubati Purandeswari is in the Congress and holding an important ministerial post at the Centre. In north coastal Andhra, Gadde Babu Rao has already quit the TDP and has joined the YSRCP. Another Kamma leader and former MLA Gottipati Narasiah from Martur in Prakasam district too is about to join YSRCP. Veteran actor from Kamma caste Giribabu had already joined YSRCP.Alarmed by Jagan’s attempts to wean Kammas from the TDP, Chandrbabu Naidu has embarked on a counter strategy as part of which he has met veteran actor Mohan Babu in Tirupati. Not surprisingly, both of them praised each other. When Mohan Babu almost decided to join the TDP, Jagan entered the scene to ruin Naidu’s plan. He and his wife Bharati visited Mohan Babu’s residence on Sunday. With Mohan Babu and Jagan having family relations, Mohan Babu has to choose between YSRCP and TDP.A section of Kamma leaders are sore with Naidu for their neglect. And Jagan is keen on fishing in the troubled waters. Sources said Jagan is casting his net far and wide for potential Kamma leaders in the Congress too.With major players Chiranjeevi, Jagan and Naidu representing three dominant castes in the state, the general election in 2014 is likely to be fought on caste lines and will prove costly for YSRCP in a majority of constituencies. This explains Jagan’s desperation to lure Kammas into his party.
Last Updated : 06 May 2012 08:28:37 AM IST
HYDERABAD: Though, caste is not an uncommon factor in Andhra Pradesh politics, the division has become well defined in the run up to 2014 elections. YSR Congress Party which has the Reddy caste tag is now wooing Kammas from Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which has an affinity with the Kammas. YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy represents the Reddy caste, while TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is from Kamma and cine actor Chiranjeevi who merged his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) with Congress represents another numerically strong Kapu caste.
With votes of three dominant castes being divided among three major political parties, now Jagan is trying to woo Kamma leaders from TDP in Krishna and Guntur districts under ‘Operation K—Kamma’.Chandrababu Naidu’s cold war with TDP Rajya Sabha MP and N T Rama Rao’s third son Nandamuri Harikrishna and his son NTR Jr has come in handy for Jagan to aggressively execute its ‘Operation K’. Differences crept into them during the TDP’s annual conclave Mahandu in May 2011. In the party conclave TDP activists tried to project Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh Naidu as future leader. This upset Harikrishna and NTR Jr; they were miffed with Chandrababu Naidu’s attitude. Harikrishna too is angry with Naidu’s choice of Rajya Sabha candidates in the recent elections. Harikrishna also could not digest the fact that his brother and cine actor Nandamuri Balakrishna was given more importance in the party. While, Harikrishna is attending party meetings occasionally, NTR Jr has distanced himself with TDP and its chief Naidu.Cashing in on the differences within the TDP, YSRCP is luring several Kamma leaders, whose affinity is for the Telugu Desam, in order to strengthen its base in Krishna and Guntur districts which are the strongholds of Kammas. This is seen as the reason behind Jagan hugging TDP Vijayawada Urban unit president and NTR Jr’s close follower Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, a Kamma, in full public glare.Kodali Nani, MLA and another close follower of Harikrishna and his actor-son, seems to have counselled Vamsi to hold his horses. But, according to sources, Vamsi is firm and is likely to make some positive remarks on Jagan in his written explanation in reply to the show-cause notice issued by the TDP. Now it is amply clear that the hug on the road was not just an accident but pre-planned, the sources said.But, the Vamsi incident is not the first fallout of YSRCP’s ‘Operation K’. When YSRCP was launched, it lured Makineni Peda Rattaiah, another prominent Kamma leader of TDP from Guntur who had strained relations with TDP chief Naidu. But Rathaiah’s honeymoon with Jagan did not last long and he quit the YSRCP. Now, the YSRCP is sending feelers to another Kamma leader in Guntur district with the offer of a Lok Sabha seat. If the leader, who has some personal image, joins the YSRCP, it will be a big catch for Jagan.At Tenali in Guntur district, Nannapaneni Rajakumari’s daughter and son-in-law have joined the YSRCP, which made Chandrababu Naidu sideline her in the TDP.NTR's daughter Daggubati Purandeswari is in the Congress and holding an important ministerial post at the Centre. In north coastal Andhra, Gadde Babu Rao has already quit the TDP and has joined the YSRCP. Another Kamma leader and former MLA Gottipati Narasiah from Martur in Prakasam district too is about to join YSRCP. Veteran actor from Kamma caste Giribabu had already joined YSRCP.Alarmed by Jagan’s attempts to wean Kammas from the TDP, Chandrbabu Naidu has embarked on a counter strategy as part of which he has met veteran actor Mohan Babu in Tirupati. Not surprisingly, both of them praised each other. When Mohan Babu almost decided to join the TDP, Jagan entered the scene to ruin Naidu’s plan. He and his wife Bharati visited Mohan Babu’s residence on Sunday. With Mohan Babu and Jagan having family relations, Mohan Babu has to choose between YSRCP and TDP.A section of Kamma leaders are sore with Naidu for their neglect. And Jagan is keen on fishing in the troubled waters. Sources said Jagan is casting his net far and wide for potential Kamma leaders in the Congress too.With major players Chiranjeevi, Jagan and Naidu representing three dominant castes in the state, the general election in 2014 is likely to be fought on caste lines and will prove costly for YSRCP in a majority of constituencies. This explains Jagan’s desperation to lure Kammas into his party.
Saturday 5 May 2012
CPM to Have Its Own TV Channel in Andhra Soon
Intro
The idea of launching the channel is to highlight the adverse impacts of globalisation, people's issues, giving due coverage to the movements launched by employees, workers and farmers
Express News Service
Hyderabad: The CPM will have its own 24-hour news channel in the state. The party sympathisers have started the process of launching the channel and the work is in progress. "Launching a new channel involves lot of work and money. It may take at least seven to eight months for the channel to go on air," a senior CPM leader said.
According to sources, party former MLA Tammineni Veerabhadram was entrusted the job of launching the channel and to mobilise the required funds.
"The idea of having an own channel came from the cadre during the party meetings. Some partymen suggested to launch the channel to highlight the problems of the poor and peasantry," CPM state leader Y Venkateswarlu said.
Sources said the yet-to-be named channel will not have any direct links with the CPM as such and it would not be treated as an official channel of the party.
The idea of launching the channel is to highlight the adverse impacts of globalisation, people's issues, giving due coverage to the movements launched by employees, workers and farmers.
Though the CPM do not have huge funds like other commercial channels, the party sympathisers were mobilising funds from the public, sources said.
CPM has two news channels - Kairali in Kerala and Chobbis (24) Ghanta in West Bengal. Though they were not the official channels of the CPM, they were controlled by CPM leaders and sympathisers and give good coverage for the party and its affiliated organisations. Though, Chobbis (24) Ghanta was a part of Zee News it was controlled by West Bengal party state committee member Abheek Dutta, sources said.
The CPM has decided to strengthen the party in the state and even refused alliances with other parties in the ensuing byelections. The launch of the channel would help in achieving its goal to some extent. Besides, serious news, the channel will have also entertainment programmes, sources added.
The CPM owns five dailies in various languages including Prajasakthi in Telugu. The party is also bringing out 'Marxist' an ideological monthly in Telugu.
Hari, Ummareddy, Dayakar skip TDP politburo meet
VV Balakrishna
Express News Service
Last Updated : 05 May 2012 08:40:49 AM IST
HYDERABAD: The main opposition party in the state, Telugu Desam, hopes to win at least six of the 18 Assembly seats and has good chances of winning two more in the byelections to be held on June 12.
The optimism came to the fore at the party's Politburo meeting which was held here on Friday.
While the meeting was in progress, the news of Ummareddy Venkateswarlu abstaining from it was flashed on TV channels. Ummareddy attributed his absence to denial of party membership and alleged that there was no social justice in the Telugu Desam. But the Politburo said any programme, including membership drive, would be taken up after the approval of the Politburo. A Politburo member had not only to supervise the enrolment drive but also to enrol himself, said a leader, laying the blame on Ummareddy.
N Harikrishna, Uppuleti Kalpana, E Dayakar Rao and Ummareddy Venkateswarlu did not attend the meeting. Harikrishna has differences with Naidu. He has been irregular in attending the party meetings. Kalpana is said to be abroad. But, according to rumour mills, she may also defect to the YSRCP. Dayakar Rao is busy with election campaigning in Parakala. As for Ummareddy, he has already decided to quit the party and join hands with Jagan.
According to sources, the party felt that it would be a big task for the Congress and YSR Congress Party to retain their seats. Winning at least one seat would be a big gain for the TDP, the Politburo felt. All the 18 seats were held by the Congress and 17 of them joined the Jagan camp and resigned, necessitating the byelections. As suc, the byelections will be a challenge to the Congress and its offshoot. The TDP, on the other hand, has nothing to lose and is not considering the bypolls as a referendum.
Even if the YSRCP wins some seats, the victory margins will not be high because of the triangle fight.
However, the TDP concedes that the YSRCP may ride the sympathy wave since it will be the first election after the death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash in 2009. But the sympathy may not last or work in the 2014 general election, the opposition party felt.
According to TDP estimate, the party has bright chances in Payakaraopet, Polavaram, Prattipadu, Narsannapet, Rayachoti, Tirupati, Rayadurgam and Yemmiganur. If the Congress votes are divided between the Congress and YSRCP, the TDP might win the Ongole seat. The party has never lost Payakaraopet since 1983 till 2004, a TDP leader said and it would be a sure seat for the TDP this time too. The tussle between the Dharmana brothers in Narasannapet will help the TDP, it hopes.
The Politburo also discussed recent desertions from the party to YSRCP. But several leaders were of the opinion that Jagan was causing damage more to the Congress. "We have to take measures so that no TDP leader will be wooed by YSRCP," party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who chaired the meeting, said.
The Politburo decided to postpone the Mahanadu, which is normally conducted from May 27 to 29, to July due to the byelections. The party cadre, busy with campaigning, would be disturbed if Mahanadu was held in May, the sources said, adding that the schedule of Mahandu would be finalised after the bypolls in June.
Thursday 3 May 2012
Jagan's `Operation K' Jolts Naidu
by VV Balakrishna
After hugging Vamsi, YSRCP chief woos Mohan Babu
Hyderabad: The cold war between Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Nandamuri Harikrishna and NTR Jr has come in handy for the YSR Congress Party to aggressively execute its "Operation K".
YSRCP is luring several Kamma leaders, whose affinity is for the Telugu Desam, in order to strengthen its base in Krishna and Guntur districts which are the strongholds of Kammas. That is the reason for YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy hugging TDP Vijayawada Urban unit president and NTR Jr's close follower Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, a Kamma, in full public glare.
Kodali Nani, MLA and another close follower of Harikrishna and his actor-son, seems to have counselled Vamsi to hold his horses. But, according to sources, Vamsi is firm and is likely to make some positive remarks on Jagan in his written explanation in reply to the show-cause notice issued by the TDP. Now it is amply clear that the hug on the road was not just an accident but pre-planned, the sources said.
But, the Vamsi incident is not the first fallout of YSRCP's Operation Kamma. When YSRCP was launched, it lured Makineni Peda Rathiah who had strained relations with TDP chief Naidu. Had Rathaiah not joined the YSRCP then, another prominent Kamma leader of TDP from Guntur would have joined the new party then itself. But Rathaiah's honeymoon with Jagan did not last long and he quit the YSRCP. Now, the YSRCP is sending feelers to another Kamma leader in Guntur district with the offer of a Lok Sabha seat. If the leader, who has some personal image, joins the YSRCP, it will be a big catch for Jagan.
In Tenali in Guntur district, Nannapaneni Rajakumari's daughter and son-in-law have joined the YSRCP, causing her sidelining in the TDP.
NTR's daughter Daggubati Purandeswari is in the Congress and holding an important ministerial post at the Centre. In north coastal Andhra Gadde Babu Rao has already quit the TDP and is on the verge of joining the YSRCP.
Alarmed by Jagan's attempts to wean Kammas from the TDP, Chandrbabu Naidu has embarked on a counter strategy as part of which he has met veteran actor Mohan Babu in Tirupati. Not surprisingly, both of them praised each other. When Mohan Babu almost decided to join the TDP, Jagan entered the scene to ruin Naidu's plan. He and his wife Bharati visited Mohan Babu's residence on Sunday. With Mohan Babu and Jagan having family relations, Mohan Babu has to choose between YSRCP and TDP.
A section of Kamma leaders are sore with Naidu for their neglect. And Jagan is too willing to fish in the troubled waters. Sources said Jagan is casting his net over potential Kamma leaders in the Congress too.
With major players Chiranjeevi, Jagan and Naidu representing three dominant castes in the state, the general election in 2014 is likely to be fought on caste lines and will prove costly for YSRCP in a majority of constituencies. Hence Jagan's desperation to lure Kammas into his party.
blurb
YSRCP is sending feelers to a Kamma leader in Guntur district, who has a good image, with the offer of a Lok Sabha seat
After hugging Vamsi, YSRCP chief woos Mohan Babu
Hyderabad: The cold war between Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Nandamuri Harikrishna and NTR Jr has come in handy for the YSR Congress Party to aggressively execute its "Operation K".
YSRCP is luring several Kamma leaders, whose affinity is for the Telugu Desam, in order to strengthen its base in Krishna and Guntur districts which are the strongholds of Kammas. That is the reason for YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy hugging TDP Vijayawada Urban unit president and NTR Jr's close follower Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, a Kamma, in full public glare.
Kodali Nani, MLA and another close follower of Harikrishna and his actor-son, seems to have counselled Vamsi to hold his horses. But, according to sources, Vamsi is firm and is likely to make some positive remarks on Jagan in his written explanation in reply to the show-cause notice issued by the TDP. Now it is amply clear that the hug on the road was not just an accident but pre-planned, the sources said.
But, the Vamsi incident is not the first fallout of YSRCP's Operation Kamma. When YSRCP was launched, it lured Makineni Peda Rathiah who had strained relations with TDP chief Naidu. Had Rathaiah not joined the YSRCP then, another prominent Kamma leader of TDP from Guntur would have joined the new party then itself. But Rathaiah's honeymoon with Jagan did not last long and he quit the YSRCP. Now, the YSRCP is sending feelers to another Kamma leader in Guntur district with the offer of a Lok Sabha seat. If the leader, who has some personal image, joins the YSRCP, it will be a big catch for Jagan.
In Tenali in Guntur district, Nannapaneni Rajakumari's daughter and son-in-law have joined the YSRCP, causing her sidelining in the TDP.
NTR's daughter Daggubati Purandeswari is in the Congress and holding an important ministerial post at the Centre. In north coastal Andhra Gadde Babu Rao has already quit the TDP and is on the verge of joining the YSRCP.
Alarmed by Jagan's attempts to wean Kammas from the TDP, Chandrbabu Naidu has embarked on a counter strategy as part of which he has met veteran actor Mohan Babu in Tirupati. Not surprisingly, both of them praised each other. When Mohan Babu almost decided to join the TDP, Jagan entered the scene to ruin Naidu's plan. He and his wife Bharati visited Mohan Babu's residence on Sunday. With Mohan Babu and Jagan having family relations, Mohan Babu has to choose between YSRCP and TDP.
A section of Kamma leaders are sore with Naidu for their neglect. And Jagan is too willing to fish in the troubled waters. Sources said Jagan is casting his net over potential Kamma leaders in the Congress too.
With major players Chiranjeevi, Jagan and Naidu representing three dominant castes in the state, the general election in 2014 is likely to be fought on caste lines and will prove costly for YSRCP in a majority of constituencies. Hence Jagan's desperation to lure Kammas into his party.
blurb
YSRCP is sending feelers to a Kamma leader in Guntur district, who has a good image, with the offer of a Lok Sabha seat
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