What surprised many was not just Revanth’s presence but the warm words he reserved for KVP, whom he lauded for his sacrifices and unwavering loyalty to YSR “till his last breath”
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy displayed rare political maturity by attending the YSR Memorial Award function on Monday organised by former MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, a confidant of late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy. What surprised many was not just Revanth’s presence but the warm words he reserved for KVP, whom he lauded for his sacrifices and unwavering loyalty to YSR “till his last breath.” The moment was striking because political circles had long whispered about a rift between the CM and KVP, citing KVP’s supposed proximity to the BRS leadership. Revanth’s gesture seemed to brush aside those murmurs in one stroke, sending a subtle yet significant message of reconciliation. The Chief Minister went a step further, declaring that “there is only one YSR and one KVP in this generation,” adding that attempts by others to imitate them would only be futile. The statement, laced with both respect and finality, turned the memorial event into a stage for political symbolism, hinting that old equations in state politics may be shifting once again.
Gallop On For Top Cop Job
The race for the state’s top police post has triggered curiosity across bureaucratic and political circles, with the tenure of incumbent Director General of Police (DGP) Jitender set to end on September 30. The contenders’ list is both familiar and formidable — C.V. Anand, Ravi Gupta, B. Shivadhar Reddy, Shikha Goel, and Soumya Mishra. What adds intrigue is Telangana’s unusual history of “acting” DGPs. Except for M. Mahender Reddy, who became the state’s first and only full-time DGP in 2017 under the BRS regime, others who followed — Anjani Kumar, Ravi Gupta during the elections and Jitender — were given charge with the prefix “FAC” (full additional charge). This has made the title of “full-time DGP” something of a rare badge in the state’s decade-long history. With the Revanth Reddy government yet to make its move, anticipation is building: Will it break tradition by appointing its own full-time DGP, or stick to the familiar interim formula? The UPSC panel will shortlist three names, leaving the final call to the state leadership.
A New ‘Medigadda’ In The City?
Is there is a Medigadda in the making in Hyderabad city? If the conditions of the hallowed and one of the most iconic structures in the city, the Arts College of Osmania University, are anything to go by. Anyone stepping into the basement of the building and spending a few minutes there would not be held in the wrong if they begin worrying in that manner. Opened in 1939 as the heart of the Osmania University, which it still remains, the Arts College building, one of the most instantly recognisable structures in Telangana, is old, and possibly becoming infirm if the constant seepage of water that forces its way on to the basement – home to two departments — or the plaster falling off the walls wet with moisture in the rainy season are anything to go by. Seepages are what killed the Medigadda barrage if anyone needs a refresher on what happened there and those worried about the college building now have pinned their hopes that OU Vice Chancellor Prof. Kumar Mogularm, a civil engineer himself, can do something to save the Arts College building.
Raghu’s Query: More From Kavitha?
Telangana politics just got its own daily soap twist! After Kavitha’s suspension and dramatic resignation from the BRS, she seems to have opened a Pandora’s box big enough to run a full season of episodes. In her very first press conference, without missing a beat she pointed fingers faster than a seasoned referee, accusing T. Harish Rao and Joginapalli Santosh Kumar of every corrupt trick in the BRS playbook. She even tossed in the Mokila villa project for good measure, that quickly dragged BJP MP M. Raghunandan Rao into the mix. He could not resist quipping that Kavitha’s one-day revelations were entertaining enough, but that he hoped for a new corruption story every day hinting there is more of the brick and mortar of intrigue than just the Mokila project.
Lokesh & Deft Space Management
The recent Aerospace and Defence Manufacturers Conference in Visakhapatnam saw some deft moves by AP minister Nara Lokesh who quickly defused a ‘who gets the first go at the mike while on the dais’ situation and turned to protocol requirements to make his point. As Union minister Rammohan Naidu rose to speak, saying he will have the first go, Lokesh gently responded, saying “no, come on… as per protocol, Union ministers should speak last. Now I will speak,” reinforcing the importance of tradition and protocol over party hierarchy and, in the process, left several wondering about the deftness with which Lokesh quickly took control of the situation.
Hard ‘land’ing Job None Wants
Talk about landing in a tough job! The position of the tahsildar in Anakapalle mandal certainly appears to have earned this distinction with the district with the same name, being the base of influential leaders such as Speaker Ch. Ayyana Patrudu, home minister Anita, and BJP MP C.M. Ramesh. With a rush of land pooling projects on the villages under Anakapalle mandal, and removal of certain land parcels from the restricted list, issuing of pattadar passbooks, and title changes, the job of the tahsildar is nothing short of a whirlwind of activity, especially with charges and counter charges flying in the political air about benami transactions, ill-gotten compensation for land acquired by the government, and so on. During the recent transfer of officials, none is learnt to have expressed an interest in the position and two tahsildars who were sent to do the job have left the post, further making the tahsildar post even more unattractive thanks to alleged political pressures.
Steely Resolve Melted?
The steely resolve that AP’s Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan displays in his onscreen characters may be the stuff of dreams for his fans but in real life that steely resolve appears to have experienced some corrosion. His tough talk in the past before the Assembly elections that the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is a sentimental issue and it meant self-respect and something that can never be given up, appears to have melted in the furnace of realpolitik after the NDA came to power in the state. At a recent Jana Sena party meeting in Vizag, Pawan adopted a different tone saying the Central leadership cannot be forced and it is not really possible to run a business forever in losses saying, “when you invest in thousands of crores, you don’t expect peanuts in return.’’ The apparent acceptance of realities was not lost on opposition YSRC with its leader Botsa Satyanarayana wondering what happened to all of Pawan’s fire and brimstone on saving the VSP from privatisation, wondering if the Deputy CM’s resolve had now melted beyond recovery.
Contributions from K.M.P. Patnaik, L. Venkat Ram Reddy, Neeraj Kumar Saibewar, Aruna, Balu Pulipaka
