After a brief lull, the political atmosphere is once again heating up in the state thanks to the K. Chandrasekhar Rao — N. Chandrababu Naidu clash. Both leaders are indulging in a proxy war against each other through Dalit leaders. KCR has started party activities once again in full swing and is trying to whip up T-sentiments once again. However, he is now being targeted by the Telangana Telugu Desam Forum and Naidu is using Dalit MLA M. Narasimhulu to corner him. The TRS leader, in turn, is using his own Dalit leader, A. Chandrasekhar, to target Narasimhulu.
Azad has a hot time
Being a Kashmiri, January is usually the coldest month for AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad. The seasoned politician, however, has been closely associated with Andhra Pradesh for decades and one would have thought that by now he would have been aware of the mausam of the state. Recently in Hyderabad, Azad dressed in a bandhgala suit, felt the heat literally and figuratively when he met Congress leaders at Gandhi Bhavan. Soon after reaching Gandhi Bhavan he realised that things were too hot and he was not dressed suitably. Though the Hyderabad winter does get chilly, this time the weather played truant and with Congressmen thronging him with complaints and suggestions, a perspiring Azad admitted, “It is really very hot in Hyderabad; I should have changed my dress.”
Botsa ‘hic’cup
The announcement of PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana that a toll-free number would be set up at Gandhi Bhavan for receiving complaints regarding liquor being sold at prices higher than the MRP came as a shock for many Congressmen. The fact that the party headquarters is named after Mahatma Gandhi who fought against consumption of liquor throughout his life did not apparently enter the equations. “How can he set up a toll-free number for receiving liquor complaints when the state is reeling under severe drought conditions, lack of drinking water, power, ration, medical and health facilities? The PCC was quiet about setting up toll-free numbers to receive complaints from the public on all essential issues and instead preferred to go for liquor complaints,” said a source.
Wrong move
Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi is finding it very difficult to get his act together as far as political decisions are concerned. From selecting the wrong candidates for the 2009 elections that saw his Praja Rajyam losing out to merging with the Congress when the chips were down, Chiru’s moves haven’t gone down well with his admirers. Recently, to everyone’s surprise he asked Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Naidu to waive taxes on cloth. This came at a time when the Legislative Council was discussing at length how the traders’ lobby had raised crores to influence the government through politicians to waive tax. Chiranjeevi’s well-wishers are now worried that people will automatically think that he was one of the beneficiaries of the money raised by the cloth traders.
In favour
Dr P.V. Ramesh, the once-popular bureaucrat for the media, might have to resume duties soon. The officer has been on leave since he was moved out of the Health department following a tiff with minister D.L. Ravindra Reddy. Though he refused to join the sports and youth affairs department considering it as a post below his calibre, the top bosses are apparently sympathetic and are likely to offer him a post that he perceives fit.
Foregone conclusion
The fate of PCB member-secretary Dana Kishore was sealed when retired bureaucrat Janaki Kondapi was rehabilitated as board chairman a few months back. What started with Kondapi occupying the well-furnished office of Kishore is all set to end with the permanent exit of the latter. Peeved with the chairman’s decision regarding bulk drug manufacturers, Mr Kishore has now applied to go on leave.
‘Wall’ed in
Former cricketer and Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy compared himself to Rahul Dravid recently. Hounded by the media constantly for sound-bytes, the CM has not come up with novel responses. At the Central Hall of Parliament recently when journalists approached him for quotes, he turned the table on them and asked, “Do you know Rahul Dravid, the Wall of Indian cricket?” He added that he was like the Wall and did not want to answer their queries on Cabinet expansion or other party matters.