NETA'S NATTER | YSRC Makes Ass of Protest Against Fuel Hike

The once beast of burden, the donkey, which is less and less ubiquitous these days, was back in the news with YSRC leaders staging a protest against the rising fuel prices by marching a few of the animals. The only problem? They fixed motorbike handles, headlights, and seats on the animals as the donkeys were marched through the streets. As protests go, this one took a turn for the worse with the animals suffering scrapes and cuts from all the ‘fittings’, something that caught the eye of education minister and Telugu Desam working president N. Lokesh who did not take kindly at the plight the donkeys were put in by YSRC folks. Lokesh questioned what fault was it of the donkeys that they were made to bleed, and slammed the opposition party for pursuing demonic politics, leaving YSRC workers, and the donkeys licking their wounds.

When Naidu Had a Sit-Down Meal With Fisherfolk

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, used to brewing tea in homes of welfare scheme beneficiaries, has added one more to his culinary imagery skills list – making fish curry. During the ‘Matsyakara Sevalo’ programme at Thummalapenta, the CM took a stroll through the local fish market and enquired about fishermen’s hardships — and perhaps also kept an eye on the freshness of the catch. That apparently worked out just well as he was invited home by local fisherman Thanangari Babu. Naidu, not one to miss a perfect opportunity, reportedly bought some fish from the market and marched into the fisherman’s kitchen like a celebrity chef on special duty. As the fisherman’s wife Venkamma prepared ‘chepa pulusu’, Naidu stood beside the stove carefully observing the recipe, occasionally stirring the curry with a ladle. The Chief Minister later joined the family for lunch, sat on the floor, served the fish curry and, during the conversation that followed, enquired about the health of Venkamma’s daughter and newborn baby.

A festival put off, marriage comes first

Everyone has their priorities and for the tribal communities in the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, the Modukondamma Jatara, a major festival for them, is something that matters a lot. But due to ‘unforeseen’ circumstances – the wedding of Girijan Cooperative Corporation chairman Kidari Sravan Kumar on May 13 at Tummarametta near Paderu – the Jatara was postponed to May 17 to 19, from the originally scheduled from May 10 to 12. While tribal welfare minister G. Sandhya Rani cited security concerns for the decision, the tribals did not buy that story and continue to blame the government for putting off the deeply rooted tradition of the Jatara, which is considered vital to local identity to accommodate a VIP wedding.

TD MLA’s defence turns heat on pals

Ruling party leaders usually deny allegations against them and accuse the Opposition of spreading false propaganda. But GD Nellore legislator V.M. Thomas chose a different route. While trying to defend himself against allegations of illegal transportation of gravel, he ended up exposing similar activities allegedly taking place in neighbouring constituencies represented by his own party MLAs. Thomas who complained that the media picks on Dalit MLAs, questioned why actions by others were not highlighted in the manner that allegations against him were the focus of news reports. His declaration that MLAs from Chandragiri and Nagari too were looting gravel put him in a pickle as these two MLAs too were from his party, the Telugu Desam. This gave the local YSRC leaders a good cause to claim that now that a ruling party MLA ‘exposed’ the truth about gravel smuggling, it is time for some action from the government.

Naidu delivers a reality check

Visions of the future and prophecies are all fine, but current reality is where the crux lies. At least for MLAs under scrutiny from their leader. Finding this out the hard way was the Kavali MLA Krishna Reddy who recently declared that the town was on the verge of becoming ‘Kanakapatnam’ – a golden town – a prophecy of Pothuluri Veerabramham he cited at a public meeting in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Listing the slew of projects in progress and on the anvil in and around Kavali, Reddy’s vision of a golden city soon met a reality check. Naidu, who appeared to agree with the vision, declared that development was an assurance from him, but the MLA needs to do his part. Flipping through his notes, Naidu’s remark that Reddy’s performance was at minus 13 per cent, came as a blunt blow to the MLA. It was not long before folks at the meeting started joking that while Brahmam garu may have accurately predicted Kavali’s bright future, he perhaps did not foresee the MLA struggling with a minus 13 per cent rating.

Buchaiah makes a hefty argument

It is a bitter political battle that was sought to be settled with rock candy. And for now, the scales appear to have tipped in favour of minister Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary, the Rajamahendravaram Rural MLA. The East Godavari district of late appears to be in the grip of Tulabharam politics that started with tourism and cinematography minister Kandula Durgesh, MLA from Nidadavole, being weighed in ‘patika bellam’ at the Abhaya Anjaneya Swamy Temple at Kadiyapulanka by his followers returning with a fairly hefty figure of 84 kilos. Not to be outdone, Buchaiah’s followers did the same for him. The revenge was sweet, with Buchaiah tipping the scales at a heftier 90 kilos. The contest has its origins in Durgesh seeking the Rajamahendravaram ticket but being sent to Nidadavole but still has his heart set on it for the next time. But with Buchaiah winning the ticket round, as well as the latest Tulabharam, the scales for now, appear firmly tilted towards the minister when time comes for the next elections.

Contributions from Md Ilyas, Sampat G. Samritan, Avinash P. Subramanyam, Aruna, Pathri Rajasekhar, Vadrevu Srinivas