Chiru in damage control mode

Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi on Sunday got down to the business of damage control, after several leaders and aspirants quit the party protesting against lack of transparency in the party.

He spread the word that those who had given their best for the party would be rewarded by accommodating them in the Legislative Council once the party got the majority in the elections and also with nominated posts in corporations.

Admitting that people like C. Anjaneya Reddy, vice-president, who sent a resignation letter were ‘indispensable’. He said senior representatives of the party had already contacted Mr. Reddy on Sunday morning. “I will meet him personally this evening and convince him of the need to stay back in the party,” he said.

His brother K. Nagendra Babu made an unsuccessful bid to persuade Mr. Reddy to take back the resignation letter. Later in the evening, the former police officer had a two hour-long meeting with Mr. Chiranjeevi at the latter’s residence.

He did not talk to the waiting media but earlier clarified that he would put out a release to the media, with details of why he wished to quit.

‘Coverts’

On ‘coverts’ in the party, Mr. Chiranjeevi said zeroing in on them was a tricky business. It may be recalled that general secretary Allu Aravind admitted recently that two coverts were identified and would soon be unveiled.

Mr. Chiranjeevi said, “We have to be absolutely sure before making public the names. Anyway, they will soon leave on their own, when they find that we know their identity and when they are not given any party positions,” he said.

TDP mulls re-introduction of NTR Jr. ‘electronically’

The Telugu Desam Party is mulling re-introduction among masses of injured film star NTR Jr. from his hospital bed electronically.

The party is planning to take the speeches of NTR Jr. to people either through video linkage or CDs.

The latter was proposed in the form of an interview of the star, former Rajya Sabha member of TDP K. Ramamohan Rao told The Hindu.

Naidu to take call

He said a final view on how to utilise the services of NTR Jr. using electronic media would be taken by TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday or Tuesday after the doctor, who is treating the star, returns from Germany. Moreover, a scan of the spinal injuries suffered by NTR Jr. is also scheduled on Monday.

NTR Junior is advised complete rest of four to five weeks so that the pain in the spine does not recur.

Though he would be able to strain his body before that period as age was on his side, doctors felt it might tell on his health in the long run.

Mr. Rao added that the film career of the star was more important than the campaign for TDP immediately.

The star was, however, disappointed that he could not resume the campaign though he was able to speak and consume food normally. He would also be able to walk in a couple of days.

TDP demands apology from Rosaiah

The Telugu Desam Party has demanded Finance Minister K. Rosaiah’s apology to people for his reported remarks on Saturday that election officials should work in favour of the government, thus “belittling” the Constitution.

At a press conference here on Sunday, TDP leaders Ummareddy Venkateswarulu and P.L. Srinivas said Mr. Rosaiah’s comments made when he met Chief Electoral Officer I.V. Subba Rao and Deputy CEO Harpreet Singh, were “undemocratic”. They showed the ‘intolerant’ attitude of the Congress.

The leaders sought to remind the Minister that poll officials come under the direct purview of the Election Commission, the day election schedule was announced and the model code of conduct came into force.

Demanding Mr. Rosaiah to withdraw the remarks, they said the party would take the issue to the Chief Election Commissioner’s notice.

On the Congress leaders’ query as to how the TDP would mobilise funds to fulfil its promises, they said the State’s income had increased to Rs.80,000 crore. This was expected to grow by 15 per cent annually.

In addition, the State would get its share from Central taxes. The TDP would meet the expenditure without selling government lands, they observed.

Replying to a question, they said the TDP, while implementing the promises, would continue reforms, if returned to power.

BJP hopes to cash in on IT sop in its manifesto

Expects middle-class to be swayed by IT limit enhancement


The promise of tax exemption for the middle-class families with earnings of Rs. 3 lakh and for women up to Rs. 3.5 lakh, announced in the BJP manifesto, seems to have galvanised the city unit of the party.

For, the party officials believe that they have a potent weapon to draw out the middle and upper middle-class votes on the election day.

To drive home this message, the party’s Sanathnagar candidate B. Shyam Sundar Goud, along with State BJP president Bandaru Dattatreya on Sunday campaigned for half a day in the exclusive middle and upper and middle-class pockets of Ameerpet.

Making full use of the holiday, BJP workers took out a procession, in the colonies along Dharam Karan Road and Begumpet Railway station and tried their best to reach to as many voters as possible. Mr. Dattatreya and Mr. Goud stood on a modified multi utility vehicle with arms folded to greet and ask for the support from residents.

Special songs exclusively composed to highlight the salient features of BJP manifesto including promises on income tax exemption and Rs. 2 per kilo per rice blared out from the huge sound systems. “We firmly believe that the income tax exemption will strike a chord with the public,” said Mr. Goud.

Mr. Dattatreya exuded confidence of his party’s performance in Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in a chat with presspersons and also made it clear that the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat is a race between BJP and Congress.

“We are getting good response in Secunderabad. The Praja Rajyam party is yet to get it act together in Secunderabad. I am confident of a good result from Secunderabad,” he said adding that the pro-poor agenda of BJP will help the party in winning votes.

‘KCR deceiving Telangana people’

Praja Rajyam and Mana Party alliance candidate for Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha constituency Balagouni Balraj Goud predicted that his rival and TRS chief K.Chandrashekar Rao would meet same fate as that of late chief minister N.T.Rama Rao.

Speaking to media persons here on Sunday Balraj Goud said that Mahabubnagar district has the history of defeating the party chiefs. “TDP chief N.T.Rama Rao was defeated in Kalwakurthy Assembly in 1989 elections”. This time it is the turn of K.Chandrashekar Rao.

He said while the Congress candidate D.Vittal Rao was no match to him, he would win by one lakh majority over KCR.

He said KCR was hoodwinking the people of Telangana since eight years by announcing deadlines to Telangana State. He even announced dates with regard to the formation of Telangana State. This time he announced Telangana would be created after elections, he said. He said that people are looking towards PR rule.

Most BJP candidates are first-timers

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded candidates in all the three Parliamentary and 18 out of 19 Assembly constituencies. Most of them are first-timers hoping to revive the fortunes of their party which has rarely swayed electorate in this district.

The BJP candidates who filed nominations for the Lok Sabha seats are: Kakinada -- Bikkina Visveswara Rao, Amalapuram (SC) – K. Uma Maheswara Rao and Rajahmundry -- Somu Veerraju.

The BJP candidates, who filed nominations for Assembly constituencies are: Tuni – K. Srinivas, Jaggampeta – V.V. Suryanarayana Raju and P. Suryanarayana Murthy, Peddapuram -- Y.V. Ram Kumar, Pithapuram – B.V.V. Muralidhar Rao, Prathipadu -- Thota Venkataramana.

Kakinada City -- N.V. Saibaba, Kakinada Rural – G. Kalyan Kumar, Razole (SC) – B. Satyanarayana Murthy, Gannavaram (SC) – P. Surya Rao, Anaparthy – N. Jyothi Reddy, Ramachandrapuram – K. Chittibabu, Mummidivaram – V.V.S.N. Narayana Raju.

Kothapeta – T. Ramakrishna Reddy and S.S. Ramachandra Rao, Mandapeta – N. Rambabu, Rajanagaram – M.V.V. Satyanarayana, Rajahmundry City – S. Chakra Bhaskar Rao and S. Himabindu, Rajahmundry Rural – D.N.R. Prasad.

The final list of candidates will be known after April 8 which is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Scrutiny is being done on April 6.

Chiranjeevi rules out support for Congress, TDP

“Praja Rajyam will get the majority required”

“Our alliance will be the fourth front”

Praja Rajyam (PR) president K. Chiranjeevi has ruled out the possibility of supporting either the Congress or the Telugu Desam Party after the elections, saying he does not see any scope for doubts about his party’s performance.

Replying to queries at a ‘Meet-The-Press’ programme organised by the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists here on Sunday, he averred that his party would cross the ‘magic figure’ (half-way mark of 147 Assembly seats) and get the majority required for forming the government in the State.

“There is no confusion in the minds of the people. If there is any confusion, it is in the Opposition parties,” he said.

The PR would also not support the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance at the national level. “I have a gut feeling about the emergence of a fourth front and that will be our alliance,” he said.

‘Smear campaign’

Denying allegations that the PR leadership had collected huge amounts of money from aspirants to allot party ticket, Mr. Chiranjeevi blamed the Opposition parties for successfully running a smear campaign against his party.