Telangana Neta Natter | Ethics Committee: Better Late Than Never

Three years into the Congress government, the Telangana Legislature has finally discovered the Ethics Committee. For all these years, neither the Legislative Assembly nor the Council had an Ethics Committee — despite such panels being meant precisely to deal with legislators who cross the line inside the House. The irony became difficult to miss when the government moved against BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy and BRS MLCs Tata Madhusudhan and N. Naveen Kumar over their alleged unruly behaviour and considered their expulsion. There was just one small problem: the Houses had no Ethics Committees to deal with such cases. And so, almost three years into its term, the government suddenly found a reason to create them. The Ethics Committees have now been constituted, with the cases of the legislators referred to them for consideration of further action. In other words, the system discovered the need for Ethics Committees only when it needed them. Better late than never — though the timing certainly makes the story more interesting.

When goats joined the protest at Erravalli

The best-laid plans… Finding themselves in just such a situation were the police, amidst the heat and dust of protests by Dalits and Congress activists near the Erravalli farmhouse of former Chief Minister and BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao in Siddipet district the other day. The police had made elaborate security arrangements in the area and were ready to manage the protesters or any untoward incident. And then came the surprise — a flock of goats that apparently decided to check on the goings-on at the barricades placed at Varadarajapur village. The arrival of the animals caught the already tense police off guard and left them scrambling, even as the animals’ bleating led some onlookers to shout gleefully that the goats may have decided to join the protest.

Revanth joins the retro trend with an AI twist

It’s a generation that can clearly give sleepless nights to rulers. And among those not taking any chances with Gen Z is Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who apparently took note of this generation’s use of social media and jumped onto the latest social media craze in a move that blends politics, nostalgia and a dash of AI magic, turning himself into an 1980s-style retro hero. Revanth took to X to share an AI-generated image created using ChatGPT, showing himself in full vintage-film mode. Dressed in a brown blazer, cream shirt with a broad collar and high-waisted brown trousers, Revanth is seen casually leaning against the iconic Yamaha RX100. With old posters, bicycles, plants and retro signboards completing the backdrop, the image looks straight out of an 80s movie, complete with warm tones and grainy visuals. His caption was short and unmistakably Gen Z-friendly: “Joining 80’s trend…” The post soon sparked reactions, with one user joking, “Prajapalana movie hero sir akkada,” while another declared, “Trend mein chalre anna.”

Tradition finds a place in Assembly records

Rarely does an opportunity come to get traditions placed on the record — not in books or academic research, but in the Legislative Assembly. And grabbing one such chance was Thungathurthy MLA Mandula Samuel, who made the most of his opportunity to speak in the House when he touched upon the caste-based professions of Scheduled Castes, making sure some of their tools of trade became part of the Assembly records. He talked about the ‘Pani Kathuthu’, a knife-like tool used for cutting leather while making traditional chappals, which are slowly disappearing as more modern footwear options flood the market. Samuel also talked about how the ‘Metharulu’ category among SCs were the only ones engaged in this work. Incidentally, this sub-sect also engages in traditional dappu beating during marriages as well as funerals. And this bit of information is now part of the hallowed records of the Assembly.

Naidu too latches on to the latest nuzzword: Gen Z

If there is one thing AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu never runs short of, it is a buzzword. From ‘Sramadanam’, ‘Janmabhoomi’, Somavaram-Polavaram, AI and Quantum, Naidu has regularly upgraded his vocabulary to match the political and administrative season. And then came Gen Z. At the recent district collectors’ conference in Amaravati, Naidu introduced Gen Z with a dedicated session on leadership in governance. The message to the collectors was clear: understand Gen Z, develop leadership skills and, most importantly, deliver. Naidu’s buzzwords have often been ambitious enough to fill PowerPoint presentations, conference halls and policy documents, and for now, the Chief Minister has handed the bureaucracy its latest mantra: Gen Z. Leadership. Deliver.

Nellore rural MLA sings his way to a winning formula

If you can’t get them with your speeches, try a song. Or so was clearly the plan of Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, who, at his ‘Mata Manti’ chat with students the other day, instead of launching into a speech, started singing and belted out a couple of numbers, including the popular ‘Apuroopamainadamma Aadajanma’ — a ballad by Gaddar. And apparently, Sridhar Reddy managed to hit the right notes, with the students enjoying the unexpected musical interlude and responding with claps, cheers and applause. With students then going on to ask him questions on careers, jobs, women’s empowerment and politics, the MLA appears to have hit upon a winning formula — get the audience clapping before getting down to business.

Contributions from L Venkat Ram Reddy, P Srinivas, Narender Pulloor, Md Ilyas, Avinash P Subramanyam