Though Balakrishna is not a full-fledged politician yet, the actor is busy preparing for the role and is constantly enquiring about the political situation in the state. Recently, when he visited the Telugu Desam party headquarters to oversee some vastu changes suggested by him, he asked the scribes present to give him Assembly-wise break-ups regarding issues and prominent leaders. Rumours are doing the rounds that party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu might replace Harikrishna with Balakrishna as party politburo member sometime around the next Mahanadu. It is an open secret that Naidu, who is known for reshuffling his leaders now and then, does not exactly see eye to eye with Harikrishna and his son Jr NTR, which makes Balakrishna’s chances brighter.
The choice of photographers
The fresh recruits to the state Indian Administrative Service cadre added some much-needed glamour quotient to the recently-held collectors’ conference. About half-a-dozen probationers, including four lady officers, became instant targets of the shutterbugs. The moment the lady officers, clad in flashy saris, came out of the conference hall, the lensmen trooped after them and started clicking away as if, an officer said jovially, they are walking on a ramp.
Botsa’s wife comes to his rescue
PCC president Botsa Satyana-rayana’s recent meeting with AICC president Sonia Gandhi was duly reported but what everyone wanted to know was how the two conversed given Botsa’s problem with English and Hindi. Like the old saying, “Behind the success of every man there is a woman”, Botsa fell back on his MP-wife Jhansi Laxmi. A postgraduate and PhD scholar, Laxmi had no problems “communicating” what her husband had to say to Sonia Gandhi.
Raghuveera’s lame excuse
While ministers did not hide their anger at being asked to leave during the review on law and order at Collectors’ conference, others like revenue minister N. Raghuveera Reddy made some lame excuses in a bid to defend Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. When journalists asked him why he sat in the conference before being asked to leave, the mantri claimed that he was aware that ministers did not take part in the law and order review meet and had only gone to collect his pen and folder which he had left behind.
Vidyasagar Rao’s headache
BJP national secretary P. Venugopal Rao’s recent 72-hour hunger strike seeking a better deal for handloom workers in the state brought sharp differences among BJP leaders to light. While several prominent central party leaders including Nitin Gadkari visited the hunger strike camp of the “RSS man” and praised his efforts in highlighting weavers’ problems, it did not go down well with senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, who promptly left for a US trip. Vidyasagar Rao, who has been hobnobbing with the TJAC, has been angling for the Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat which he has represented twice. The sudden popularity of Venugopal Rao who is eyeing the same seat, has miffed Vidyasagar Rao. Rumour has it that it will be Jhandewallan Venugopala Rao who will get the Karimnagar seat, ending the chances of Vidyasagar Rao contesting on a BJP ticket.
Dwivedi enthrals
Babus present at the inaugural session of the two-day collectors’ conference were in for a surprise as chief secretary Pankaj Dwivedi displayed his flair for poetry. Dwivedi’s speech caught everyone’s attention not only due to the content but also for dramatic presentation. He encouraged the collectors calling them pillars of the administration and reminded them of their responsibility to work for the poor. He concluded his remarks with a couplet... Dushyant Kaun Kehta Hain,,, which broadly translated to: “Who says no hole can be made in the sky? Let us throw a stone with hope, enthusiasm, passion and commitment...” The upshot being: “Nothing is impossible”. One can only hope it made the intended impact on the babus.