From Revolution to Resurrection

By V V BALAKRISHNA
Published: 24th Aug 2014 06:00:00 AM

  HYDERABAD: Not so long ago, at the height of the poll campaign in March-April, the then Union Minister and Congress heavyweight Jairam Ramesh had predicted that if Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao was voted to power, he would ruin the new state with his politics of regionalism. Three months on, KCR has proved Jairam wrong.

The 60-year-old chief minister of Telangana appears keen on proving himself as a good administrator besides being an agitator. In the last 80 days, KCR has surprised even senior babus with his working style. Soon after assuming office, he held a day-long brainstorming session with them and unveiled his vision for the development of the state and explained his immediate priorities. Since then, he has been after the babus to achieve his objective of giving a clean administration to the 4.5 crore people of Telangana.

Initially, senior IAS officers felt KCR’s review meetings were a ‘routine affair’ to understand the basics of administration. But, KCR has given a new thrust to administration. At the review meetings, he first explains his needs and priorities. Then, he discusses the same with the officials and seeks their views. Later, he fine-tunes the ideas and again seeks their opinion.

“The chief minister enquires about the functioning of every department.w He poses questions on the pros and cons of every programme. He suggests the best,” a senior IAS officer said. In the past two months, KCR has taken 45 decisions, including giving of `50,000 for wedding of tribal girls. He is also planning to construct two-bedroom flats for the poor, apart from distributing three acres of land to every dalit family; both poll promises.

The major step he has taken thus far is the controversial Intensive Household Survey to weed out bogus white ration cards, which are eating away the government’s money in the form of subsidy. Though this mammoth exercise, carried out on a single day (August 19), invited criticism of the Opposition, KCR remained unruffled.

Telangana and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, ever since their formation on June 2, have had eyeball to eyeball confrontations on sharing of electricity, river waters, and implementing provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act-2014, such as vesting the Governor with special powers over Hyderabad’s law and order. On every issue, the Telangana chief minister hardened his stance, so as to send a clear message to the people of his state that protecting their interests is his top priority. As for maintaining relations with the Centre, KCR seems to be adopting a belligerent stance for the same reason.

He has taken on the Centre on two issues—merger of seven mandals in Telangana with AP to facilitate construction of the Polavaram Irrigation Project and special powers to the Governor over law & order in Hyderabad. At one point, he even called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a fascist. “If the Centre maintains good relations with us, we will reciprocate and vice-versa,” KCR said.

As TRS’s boss, KCR is formulating strategies to further strengthen the party by poaching Congress and TDP lawmakers. He has no qualms in promoting dynastic politics either. After all, his son K T Rama Rao holds key portfolios such as IT and Panchayat Raj in his Cabinet and his nephew T Harish Rao holds the major Irrigation portfolio. KCR’s daughter K Kavitha is a party MP from Nizamabad.

One-on-One

K Chandrasekhar Rao

● First-time CM

● Competes with Naidu in attracting investments

● Conducts review meetings for 12 hours a day

● No hesitation in taking on the Centre

● Son K T Rama Rao holds key IT portfolio in the Cabinet

Chandrababu Naidu

● Three-time CM

● Seasoned CEO, now struggling to develop another Hyderabad in AP

● Conducts video conferences with officials. Helps in ruling AP from Hyderabad

● Dependent on Centre for funds

● Son Lokesh remains behind-the-scenes

Defining the discourse on a new power trip

By V V Balakrishna - HYDERABAD

Published: 01st Sep 2013 10:34:01 AM

    There are many voices in the present Andhra political scenario and everyone is singing their own tune leading to a cacophony. Most of the parties lack a face that can win hearts hands down across Seemaandhra and Telangana. Could this be a golden opportunity for TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, especially in the light of his bus yatra starting from September 1?
Despite the massive separate state movement in Telangana region, TDP’s cadre base has not eroded fully. There is a vast majority who still believe that Naidu is a good administrator and the party can play an important role in laying the foundation of Telangana.
Since Naidu belongs to Ralayaseema, he had a good following there even after the emergence of the YSRC. In coastal Andhra, TDP won considerable number of Gram Panchayats in the recent local body elections to drive home the point that it is in a resurgence mood. This also indicates that the TDP cadre has not left the party at the grassroots level, even though several big leaders ditched the party in the last four years and joined TRS and YSRC. “TDP cadre base is intact. Some big leaders may leave the party for their selfish ends. But, the ordinary workers are keeping the party flag high,” Naidu repeatedly says.
In this scenario, Naidu is determined to project himself as the only big leader in the state with a vast experience.
It may be recalled that for the past one month people of Seemandhra have been on roads demanding the Centre to keep the state united. However, Naidu continued his pro-Telangana stance and has not deviated from this stand even after the CWC’s decision. Naidu is confident that the people in Seemandhra will understand his stand on state’s division, if the concerns of the Seemandhra people are addressed properly.
“There are concerns among Seemandhra people about water, jobs, education, sharing of revenue and the status of Hyderabad. Justice should be done to Seemandhra,” Naidu said. “If proper justice is done, then everyone would accept the division of the state,” Naidu averred.
After almost nine year rule in the state, the Congress has no big leader with mass appeal to influence the voters. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s open opposition against the formation of Telangana leaves him with any fan following in the region. Even a few Seemaandhra leaders believe if the 2011 Telanagana package was implemented by the chief minister, the bifurcation could have been well avoided. Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Botcha Satyanarayana’s influence too is limited to his own district. Moreover, it is widely known that there is no love lost between Kiran Reddy and Botcha Satyanarayana.
The YSR Congress (YSRC) supremo Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has been in jail for more than a year and already lost ground in Telangana region.
TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao impressed the people on two counts. He achieved T-state after a 13-year long fight. Immediately after the CWC’s decision, TRS chief rolled out a big action plan called “My Dream Telangana”. He listed out various welfare and developmental programmes that would be developed after its formation. Though, Rao is a towering leader in Telangana region he is a non-entity in Andhra. However, even after the division of the state, TRS chief has his own "weakness".
“You know that my weakness is Telangana. I can’t say no for the merger, if the Congress put a condition to divide the state,” Rao said.
It means that if TRS is merged with the Congress after the division, Rao may lose his earlier clout in Telangana politics.
Bus Yatra
Naidu will start his bus yatra on September 1 from Pondugala village in Gurajala mandal in Guntur district. He will cover Gurajala, Sattenapalle, Pedakurapadu, Tadikonda and Mangalagiri Assembly segments. After seven days tour, Naidu will enter Krishna district. Here he will cover Gannavaram, Nuzvidu, Tiruvur, Machilipatnam and Pedana Assembly segments. The Assembly segments covered by Naidu this time were not covered by him earlier during his ‘Vastunnaa Mee Kosam Padayatra’.
Naidu’s main focus during the yatra is to expose the alleged nexus between YSRC and Congress in Seemandhra, like he exposed the nexus between Congress and TRS in Telangana region.
 “AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh said the DNA of YSRC and Congress are same. While making the CWC statement on division of AP, Digvijaya Singh stated that TRS would be merged with Congress,” Naidu said while highlighting the nexus of sub-regional parties YSRC and TRS with Congress.
Naidu will also draw a comparison of his nine-year rule (1999-2004) with the nine-year rule of Congress (2004-13) during the yatra. He will explain people that the state witnessed rapid development during TDP regime. Now, development has taken a backseat.

Power play in Andhra Pradesh

By VV Balakrishna - HYDERABAD

Published: 31st Mar 2013 11:29:11 AM

     Andhra Pradesh is reeling under power cuts. As if that was not enough, the government has proposed a hike in tariff to net Rs 13,000 crore in 2013-14 besides mopping up another Rs 12,000 crore in the form of fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA). It has been enough for the Opposition parties in the state to take up the “power struggle” in the run up to general elections in May, 2014.
The CPI and CPI(M) along with eight other Left parties first took to the streets on the issue. They launched an indefinite fast at Indira Park last week, which was foiled by the police after four days.  “We will not rest till the government withdraws its proposal to hike power tariff. The FSA amount should be borne by the government,” demanded CPI(M) state secretary B V Rahagavulu.
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) too extended its support to the Left cause. “We will take support from YSRCP, but that does not mean that we will forge an electoral alliance with the YSRCP in the next elections,” said CPI state secretary K Narayana. He hinted that CPI would sail with the Telugu Desam Party in the next elections.
The day the four-day Left’s indefinite fast was foiled by the police, TDP MLAs began their indefinite fast.  Several MLAs fell sick after three days of fast, which was launched on the premises of old MLA quarters.
Meanwhile, the Left parties have called for a state-bandh on April 9. The TDP too has extended its support to the proposed bandh. On the other hand, the YSRCP too took up some agitational programmes and has decided to participate in the state bandh.
On the face of it, it seems that all the Opposition parties are united on power tariff. But, when it comes to real politics, the YSRCP blames both the TDP and the present Congress government for the power crisis. “Naidu is responsible for killing of three persons in 2000. He should give an explanation for it,” demanded YSRCP MLAs.
However, the TDP blames Y S Rajasekhara Reddy for the collapse of power sector in the state. “Rajasekhara Reddy is responsible for the present crisis. For the sake of commissions, Reddy encouraged private players in the power sector. He mismanaged the power utility. The TDP streamlined the sector and augmented the installed capacity of power generation,” alleged TDP MLA Payyavula Keshav.
However, the ruling Congress claimed that not a single acre of crop will be allowed to dry up due to shortage of power. “The past chief ministers are responsible for the present power crisis. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is streamlining the sector effectively,” claimed T Jayaprakash Reddy, Congress MLA and a known loyalist of the Chief Minister.
Notwithstanding the agitations, the power tariff in the state would be increased from April 1. Though the discoms proposed a burden of around Rs 13,000 crore, the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) may allow the discoms to collect an additional amount of around Rs 9,000 crore from the public in 2013-14.

Astrologers help Chandrababu Naidu take a walk on his way to Power

TDP honcho Chandrababu Naidu is not known to trust astrologers.
But after being eight years out of power—and not because of the lack of trying—Naidu has decided to follow the advice of his brother-in-law and film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna while choosing an auspicious time to set off on his 117-day yatra to drum up popularity in the state for the coming elections.
He hopes God will be right beside him as he embarks on a 2,320 km pada yatra (walkathon) from October 2. His proposed pada yatra is meant for wooing people and erase the image of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy from the minds of people.
Rajasekhara Reddy walked nearly 1,475 km and captured power from TDP. Now, Rajasekhara Reddy's son Jagan Mohan party is giving a political threat to Naidu. So, Naidu is a little worried over the future and wants to launch his pada yatra either from Kodangal in Telangana or Hindupur in Rayalaseema region.
At this juncture, Naidu’s brother-in-law Balakrishna reportedly consulted the astrologers and took their advice. In turn, Balakrishna informed Naidu about the astrologers’ advice. Naidu, who is in a dilemma over when and where to start pada yatra, followed the advice of astrologers. In all likelihood, Naidu will start from Hindupur in Anantapur district. “We have consulted the astrologers. They zeroed in on these two places,” TDP leader Kambapati Rammohan said.
It may be recalled that when Vaastu of NTR Bhavan, the TDP headquarters in Hyderabad, appeared not good, Balakrishna personally visited NTR Bhavan along with Vaastu pandits and made suitable changes to the party office.
However, Naidu is neither a superstitious person nor an atheist. He occasionally visits Tirumala along with his family. He mixes with devotees and go in the regular queue lines.
Asked about Vaastu changes made to NTR Bhavan last year, Naidu laughed it off and did not give any reply.
Apart from astrology and Vaastu, Balakrishna is also understood to have prompted Naidu to take the advice of film personalities. Accordingly, Naidu held discussions with film writers, leading directors like Raja Mouli and Srinu Vytla. They gave several suggestions to Naidu on how to impress public with body language and modulations. Top lyricists Suddala Ashok Teja, Anata Sriram and others penned six songs to attract masses during Pada yatra of Naidu. Leading music director Vandemataram Srinivas is composing the music for the songs.

Show me the money and the vote, honey

By VV Balakrishna - HYDERABAD:

Published: 02nd Sep 2012 10:29:30 AM

  The Andhra Pradesh government seems to be broke with a budget deficit of Rs 17,784 crore. Yet, populist desperation seems to be prompting the Kiran Reddy government to pay up for former chief minister, the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's schemes which are a major drain on the state.

 YSR’s fee reimbursement scheme for students belonging to the backward classes will cost the state Rs 3,500 crore. Dues amounting to Rs 6,000 crore have piled up so far.

Around 685 private engineering colleges are demanding a hike in tuition fees, which will raise the subsidy amount further.

The state Finance Department has raised objections saying that it cannot bear the additional cost.

“The chief minister wanted to implement the scheme and I could not say no to it,” Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said, implying that he would have to cut somewhere to furnish funds. Kiran Reddy government had paid the dues of around Rs 5,300 crore from 2008 to 2012.

Kiran Reddy, on his “Indiramma Bata” tours of districts has been announcing various schemes in districts, officials do not know where the money will come from.

For the Rajiv Yuava Kiranalu employment training programme for youth, the government earmarked Rs 1,500 crore this year, but hasn’t been able to raise enough funds.

 Schemes which are a major drain on the state are: Arogyasri: This health insurance scheme for BPL families will cost the state government Rs 927 crore.

It will reimburse patients who go to corporate hospitals for treatment.

Rice scheme: The price of the rice reduced from Rs 2 to Re 1 by Kiran Reddy government is costing the exchequer Rs 2,600 crore.

The government is on a drive to weed out bogus household cards so that expenditure can be curtailed.

Jala Yagnam Programme: This massive programme to construct 85 major and minor irrigation projects with an estimated cost of Rs 1.4 lakh crore has failed with the government able to sanction only Rs 4,000 crore yearly.

The unfinished irrigation projects have become dead capital for the government

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.

Cooking up an alliance as Naidu eats crow

V V Balakrishna
Last Updated : 11 Mar 2012 11:08:06 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Nothing heats up Andhra Pradesh like Telangana. As a hapless Telugu Desam (TDP)  boss N Chandrababu Naidu burns rubber through Andhra Pradesh trying to make a comeback, an alliance between arch enemy Y S Jagan Reddy of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and K Chandrasekhara Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) threatens to leave him out in the cold. It is important for the TDP to do well in the upcoming byelections in seven Assembly constituencies in the state. Political sources in Hyderabad say the YSRCP and the TRS are on a collusion course. The TDP sees TRS as its main threat in the Telangana region and YSRCP in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.

On a phone call between Rao and Jagan, Naidu alleges, “It was to seek money from Jagan that Rao has been on the phone with him.”

TRS activists has been obstructing Naidu’s district tours. Telangana supporters hurled eggs and stones at Naidu’s convoy in many places. TRS activists do not obstruct tours. Naidu did not face opposition from the TRS when he held a dharna in Hyderabad. He alleges that former Congress minister Jupalli Krishna Rao, who resigned as an MLA and is now  a TRS candidate, is a Jagan man. “This shows the nexus between the YSRCP and TRS,” says Naidu.

Political circles are abuzz that YSRCP did not field candidates in six constituencies in Telangana because of a deal with the TRS.

The state Assembly has become a proxy battlefield for the byelections. The TRS, CPI and the BJP have decided to milk the current Budget Session in the Assembly to gain electoral advantage in Telangana region. After stalling the House for the first three days demanding the formation of Telangana, the TRS now wants to up the ante in order to squeeze mileage in the bypolls. The ruling Congress is pushed to a corner. After the poll debacle in UP and Punjab, the Congress plea that it has been left to the high command and the Centre to take the final decision on Telangana does not have credibility. “The Congress High Command is wary of creating a new state when it couldn’t come to power in existing states,” says a Congress MP.

The party has been resisting the TRS demand to adopt a resolution urging the Central government to move a T-Bill in Parliament. This is working well for the Telangana politicos, who would immediately hit the bypoll campaign trail after each adjournment.

A political polarisation is emerging in Andhra. Earlier, unlikely allies CPI and BJP had decided to back TRS in the House on the Telangana issue. Now they are working on their own strategies for the byelections. Meanwhile, rebel Congress MLAs owing allegiance to YSRCP said they will be back with a resounding majority. It appears the main victims of the TRS-YSRCP understanding are Chandrababu Naidu and the Congress party.

Naidu, KCR get down and dirty in bypoll battle

“Rao always claims that he will bury the TDP, but these bypolls will be their last.” N Chandrababu Naidu
V V BALAKRISHNA
Last Updated : 04 Mar 2012 10:09:18 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Byelections to seven Assembly segments, including six in Telangana region, is the fresh bone of contention between Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhara Rao.

Both the leaders are suing choicest epithets to defame each other the moment the election commission sounded the bypoll bugle.

Chandrasekhara Rao is always known for his harsh and incisive language. Surprisingly, TDP chief Naidu too matched word for word.

Interestingly, sometime back in 2009 Rao descended on Naidu’s residence and forged an electoral alliance with the TDP. Now, after three years all love seems to have lost between the two leaders. Recently, Rao said that he would cut Naidu’s tongue.

Reacting to this, Naidu said that byelections would be the last elections for TRS, as the party would be wiped out from the region.

“TRS president Rao always wants to bury the TDP. This time, TRS will be buried in the grave dug by it,” Naidu said. In the 2009 elections, TDP gave 45 seats to TRS, of which, the TRS won only ten seats. “If there was no alliance with TRS, TDP would have won more seats,” Naidu regretted.

He also blamed the TRS for fighting for “notes and votes”. What Naidu meant was that TRS would collect money in the name of elections and secure votes and then again go for

byelections. “When YSR Reddy was chief minister, he sold away valuable government lands in Telangana region. TRS chief Rao was silent then. He never protested the injustice meted out by YSR to Telangana region. Now, Rao is in touch with YSR’s son Jagan Mohan Reddy over phone,”

It is obvious that Naidu’s outburst has upset TRS chief Rao. He reacted sharply. Rao, in his typical fashion, used Urdu words to rebuke Naidu. Rao used “Latkor and Buddarkhan” while insulting Naidu. “When did you become a He-Man to bury the TRS?” Rao said. The TRS leader wanted to know how Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh Naidu studied in Stanford University. “People want to know from which account, Naidu had paid the money to Lokesh’s education in US, and how did Naidu’s mother Ammannamma get assets to the tune of `50 lakhs?”

Rao alleged that Naidu as chief minister allotted 97,000 acres of land to various industries. “When CBI probe was ordered against Naidu, he fell at the feet of Union Minister P Chidambaram in Vasanth Kunj Guest House of TDP MP Sujana Chowdary in Delhi and escaped from CBI probe,” Rao alleged.

TRS chief who is also Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha member declared that he would campaign against Naidu in each and every village of Telangana.

While Naidu claimed that he gave “Political Bhiksha” (alms) to Rao. In response the TRS leader shot back saying, it exposes the feudal tendency in Rao.

Two yatris who can’t wait for Andhra elections

V V Balakrishna
Express News Service
Last Updated : 05 Feb 2012 08:21:46 AM IST

HYDERABAD: There are no elections around the corner in Andhra Pradesh, yet the leaders of the two regional parties, Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress, are busy crisscrossing the state. The next elections to the Assembly are scheduled only for 2014, but the state tours of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy have created a stir.

Jagan started his Odarpu Yatra six months after the death of his father and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy. The yatra is intended to console the kin of those who died of shock after the death of YSR Reddy. Congress party’s central leadership directed him to call off his yatra. Jagan defied them leading to a fallout between  him and the high command. Though Jagan’s political adversaries tried to prevent him from continuing the yatra, but even after two years of YSR Reddy’s death, Jagan continues with his yatra. Experts believe that the reason behind continuing with the yatra is to keep himself in the limelight. Jagan is banking on his father’s popularity to return to power in the state.

Jagan’s message to people is: “You have witnessed golden era in the state during YSR Reddy’s regime. If you want the same golden era again, vote for YSR Congress.”

There has been a change in his attitude in the last one year of his yatra. In the initial days, Jagan used to take digs at AICC president Sonia Gandhi. Now he is mainly targeting the state Congress leaders, while sparing the Delhi Congress leaders. TDP leaders believe Jagan has a secret understanding with Congress leaders in Delhi, beefing up their contention by saying that Jagan is not targeting Sonia anymore. They say Jagan may merge his party with the Congress sooner or later.

Giving company to Jagan, 61-year-old Chandrababu Naidu is also progressing ahead in his Rytu Poru Padayatra. Under his padyatra he has covered all the districts except Nellore. Naidu walks around 15 km to 20 km in each district to know the problems of the farmers and console them.

When asked whether the timing of his padayatra, two years ahead of elections, is good, Naidu retorted: “I am not doing it for the sake of power. My aim is to make the vocation of agriculture a profitable venture.”

As Naidu’s yatra concludes this month, TDP plans to woo the youths next. Workshops will be organised for youths below the age of 35. The TDP is of the opinion that Jagan wields enormous clout with the youth. To counter this, Naidu is planning youth conventions besides roping in cine actor Balakrishna into active politics.

NTR son throws tinsel hat in ring

                       Nandamuri Balakrishna pours milk on a statue of NTR



VV Balakrishna
Last Updated : 15 Jan 2012 08:28:33 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Nandamuri Balakrishna, actor son of legendary actor and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder N T Rama Rao, is all set to jump into electoral politics in 2014. Balakrishna has been campaigning for TDP for several elections now. However, Balakrishna recently declared that he would join the fray in the Assembly elections besides taking up the responsibility of campaigning for the TDP in the 2014 elections.

“I will contest in the elections. It is up to the party to choose the Assembly segment for me,” said Balakrishna, who is known for his punchy dialogue on screen and has an enormous fan following in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, where the TDP is facing stiff opposition from YSR Congress Party.

Balakrishna’s daughter is married to Nara Lokesh, son of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu. He may contest from Hindupur Assembly segment in Anantapur, the seat that sent his father to Assembly and made him the chief minister. Balakrishna is also helping Naidu to make vaastu changes to NTR Bhavan, the TDP headquarters, against bad luck.

Playing the role of Lord Rama in his latest movie Sri Rama Rajyam, Balakrishna tried to recreate the magic of his late father N T Rama Rao who had essayed both mythological and social characters with aplomb and won over Telugu hearts.

Balakrishna now wants to play NTR’s ace—self-respect of Telugus. A day after Balakrishna declared that he would jump into electoral politics, he said he decided to become active in politics only to protect the self-respect of Telugus. The current political situation in the state compelled him to jump into electoral politics, Balakrishna said.

He participated in a motorcycle rally from Kodali to Ghantasala and unveiled NTR’s statue there. Addressing a public gathering, Balakrishna declared that he would remain in active politics for the rest of his life. “I will protect the self-respect of Telugus like my father did,” he averred.

He alleged that the pride of Telugus was pledged in Delhi streets in the Congress regime. “I will strive hard to fulfil the aspirations of my father,” he said. Balakrishna recalled the development schemes and welfare programmes launched by NTR as chief minister. “NTR took daredevil decisions like abolishing the Patel Patwari system,” Balakrishna said. There is no one who can compare with NTR in the film industry, Balakrisha said, alleging that the 32 Congress MPs from the state did nothing for Andhra Pradesh.

“You see how many MPs of the DMK got the ministerial berths in the Union Cabinet with their strength of mere 18. Our MPs could not get even a good Cabinet post,” he said. In an indirect reference to the Praja Rajyam, he said the parties that were floated with the slogan of social justice were finally merged with the ruling Congress for the selfish interests of the founders.

Reminding his father’s popular Rs 2-a-kg-rice scheme, he said NTR supplied quality rice. The rice being distributed to the poor under Rs 1-kg scheme was inferior. Balakrishna said people were eagerly waiting for the TDP to come to power in the state as it would only solve their growing problems.

With 17 more MLAs, Jagan laughs last

Jagan in a jubiliant mood.
VV Balakrishna
Express News Service
Last Updated : 11 Dec 2011 09:17:29 AM IST

CHENNAI: The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-backed  no confidence motion may not have toppled the government, but the rebel has emerged as the real winner. Everyone knew that N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s government would defeat the motion, but nobody expected that the  victory would come at the cost of 17 MLAs.

The very next day, Jagan addressed a news conference, hailing the decision of the MLAs as historic. He was very upbeat over landing 17 MLAs and went on to challenge the Congress to disqualify all of them at one go. “Both the Congress and TDP candidates would lose their deposits in the by-elections,” he said.

Jagan further added that, “There is no opposition in the state. The ruling Congress was deviating from Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s agenda. So, the YSRC will win all the seats with a record majority.”

Despite the ongoing CBI probe into his assets, Jagan was pulling huge crowds during his Odarpu Yatra (to console the kin of those died of shock after the sudden demise of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy).

Now, the task before Jagan is to prove that he is a strong force in the state. He should ensure victory for all his 17 MLAs. If Congress and TDP wins any seat, Jagan’s popularity would be at stake. As of now, the Jagan camp is confident that they would sweep the elections and all the 16 Congress MLAs would re-enter the Assembly on YSRC ticket. But others think that it might not be a cake walk for Jagan Mohan Reddy. “It is a triangle contest. Anything may happen,” observed a TDP leader. The moot question is, will Jagan deliver the goods to his loyalist MLAs?

Naidu feels the big squeeze

V V Balakrishna
Last Updated : 27 Nov 2011 11:00:13 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu finds himself again in the firing line. This time it is the CBI which is raining bullets on him. The investigating agency has been ordered by the Andhra Pradesh High Court to carry out a probe into his assets. The High Court has acted on a petition filed by Y S Vijayamma, the widow of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekara Reddy.

Political analysts feel that Vijayamma's petition is a tit-for-tat. TDP leaders had filed a petition in the High Court seeking a CBI probe into the illegal wealth of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. The CBI on their part questioned YSR Congress president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. So pundits believe that since Jagan is himself facing a probe he entrusted the job of filing a counter complaint to his mother and YSRC honorary president Y S Vijayamma. The Economic Directorate has already slapped notices on Nara Lokesh, Naidu’s son and NTR Memorial Trust.

The TDP views it as a political conspiracy to prevent TDP from coming to power in 2014. “YSRC chief Jagan Mohan Reddy is losing ground after the CBI probe and the Congress too hasn’t been able to do much. TDP is growing stronger in the state. That is why Jagan colluded with Congress high command and filed a case against Naidu,” TDP senior leader Motkupalli Narasimhulu said. “Jagan called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently. After that the CBI probe against him slowed down. As per the deal struck by YSR Congress with Congress, Vijayamma filed a petition against Naidu. Now, around 26 Jagan loyalist MLAs, who quit Congress and extended support to Jagan, were returning to the Congress fold. This is the understanding between YSRC and Congress," TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said.YSR Reddy as an opposition leader had filed many cases against Naidu and after becoming CM; he constituted as many as 24 commissions and probes against the TDP chief. As a counter attack, TDP is now planning to file petitions against the then cabinet ministers in YSR Reddy’s regime. TDP is also planning to file petitions seeking probe into the trusts owned by Sonia Gandhi because the TDP is suspecting that CBI probe against Naidu was a conspiracy hatched by Congress high command.

Telugu Desam grandsons in succession battle

V V Balakrishna
Last Updated : 29 May 2011 07:28:16 AM IST

HYDERABAD: With Junior NTR, film actor and son of Rajya Sabha member Nandamuri Harikrishna, giving a miss to Mahanadu, the three-day annual conclave of the Telugu Desam Party which is underway in Hyderabad, the air is pregnant with the uneasy feeling that the Chandrababu Naidu’s successor issue is once again hotting up.

While Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh Naidu is being projected as his successor, NTR’s grandson—NTR Jr and Harikrishna’s son are battling it out for the TDP throne. In Krishna, the native place of TDP founder late N T Rama Rao, the party is divided into Harikrishna and Naidu factions. When N Chandrababu Naidu went to NTR Ghat on Saturday to pay homage to the leader, slogans were raised that NTR’s family be treated with more vitality in the party. TDP activists from Chandragiri, Chittoor—Naidu’s stronghold—demand Lokesh be given the charge, indicating he might contest the seat in the 2014 polls. Harikrishna’s  followers  demand NTR Jr be given an important role in TDP. Harikrishna is a politburo member of TDP and a Rajya Sabha member.

NTR Jr is a leading Telugu actor, while Lokesh runs the family business, Heritage Foods, that makes dairy products. Lokesh was also poll manager for his father Naidu in the Kuppam Assembly constituency.

Family politics got mur­kier when Naidu used Balakrishna, another of  NTR’s sons Balakrishna, whose daughter Brahmani is married to son Lokesh. Balakrishna too is a star campaigner for the  TDP, which blamed NTR’s dau­ghter and Union Minister D Purandeswari for causing the trouble in the party at the behest of the Congress. Naidu earlier “NTR Jr is busy with films and Lokesh is busy with business”.

No more a charmed life

V V Balakrishna
Last Updated : 20 Nov 2011 09:50:06 AM IST

HYDERABAD: At a time when things appeared to be working in his favour, the odds have suddenly stacked up against Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu. The first blow came from the state High Court, which by acting on the petition of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mother Vijayamma, ordered a preliminary investigation by the CBI into his wealth.

The Telangana agitation also left Naidu’s edifice’s bruised and battered. The party lost seven of its MLAs, who changed sides to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti. Finally, after the agitation has been called off, Naidu has managed to keep the remaining Telangana MLAs together in the party.

Then there is the Congress as well, which Naidu has to tackle. Congress is not in a mood to concede any political space for the TDP chief though elections are more than two and half years away.  Pradesh Congress Committee president Botcha Satyanarayana does not mince words when he says “We have all the answers to the questions that Naidu might raise in the Assembly if he bids to bring a no-confidence motion against us. We have enough numbers in the Assembly. We are not all worried. Let Naidu say or do whatever he wants. We have an upper hand over him.”

On top of this, Congress is repeatedly taunting Naidu on why he was dragging his feet in facing the recent CBI probe ordered by the state High Court. Botcha makes a scathing remark when he says, “It is an excellent opportunity to tell the people that you are clean. If any allegations are made, a politician should always welcome a probe so that he can emerge unscathed.”

The recent shocks have been debilitating, but Nadiu being a seasoned politician is finding ways to mitigate the rising problems. Naidu in response has filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking an opportunity to be heard in the case. His contention was that the court before directing the CBI to inquire into his wealth did not ask him to file a counter to Vijayamma's petition.

The TDP believes that the petition of Vijayamma was intended to please the Congress so that Jagan Mohan Reddy could escape from the heat of the CBI investigation. TDP senior leader Yanamala Ramakrishunudu said that the trade off between Jagan Mohan Reddy and the Congress is very evident for any discerning person. In return for toning down the CBI investigation into this riches, Jagan Mohan Reddy, would stop a) attacking Sonia Gandhi, b) help it politically by trying to discredit Naidu through court petitions and c) support the UPA after the general elections in 2014. “Already, Jagan has fulfilled his first two tasks,” Ramakrishnudu explained the deal.

Naidu wants to turn the tables by moving a no confidence motion against the state government in the winter session on its “ineptitude” in addressing the grievances of farmers.

For Jagan and Naidu, home is where the ego is

V V Balakrishna
Last Updated : 13 Nov 2011 11:34:28 AM IST

HYDERABAD: The political rivalry between the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu was legendary. Now, a couple of years after the demise of YSR, the battle still rages on with the late leader’s son and YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy

Stepping into the shoes of his father in this seemingly never-ending saga. If anything, the rivalry has taken a more personal turn.

The latest twist in this continuing drama came with Naidu accusing Jagan of having palatial buildings at several places in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Sakshi, the vernacular owned by Jagan, hit back with a story on the former Chief Minister’s house in the posh Jubilee Hills area in Hyderabad with a very hard-hitting headline: Abaddhala Babu Address Idi (This is the address of liar Babu).

Not one to take it lying down, Naidu’s TDP threw a challenge, seeking an independent enquiry by editors of all media houses on the houses of Jagan and Naidu to find out who owns the most expensive house.

“I have been in politics for 32 years but I have only a three-bedroom house. One is for my son Lokesh and another for me. The third is meant for guests,” Naidu claimed. But in just five years of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s chief ministership, his family had acquired huge palaces, Naidu alleged and repeatedly sought to highlight the houses the YSR family has in Pulivendula, Kadapa, Idupulapaya, Lotus Pond (Hyderabad) and Bangalore.

Disgraced mining magnate and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy too has a big house complete with golden chairs, golden beds and gold plates, Naidu said, wondering how they had earned such huge money in a short time.

Sakshi in its rebuttal trashed Naidu’s claim of a three bedroom house. It claimed the TDP chief’s house is worth `8.8 cr and is a three-storeyed building and pointed at deviations from the approved building plan.

Batting for Naidu, TDP politburo member K Yerran Naidu urged editors to judge the claims of both sides. “Jagan never allowed media into any of his houses including a big palace in Bangalore and one in Hyderabad,” he said.

He recalled that national political leaders had visited Naidu’s house several times and had lunch in the dining room. “Even the media was allowed to take photos in the dining room of Naidu. Jagan’s media is carrying fictitious stories on Naidu’s house,” he thundered.