Revanth chose to take the stairs to the ground floor, even as security personnel hurried towards the lift so that he could re-enter it.
Revanth comes face to face with security divides
A minor elevator mix-up at the Telangana Secretariat has turned the spotlight on coordination gaps between Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s security team and Secretariat security staff, while also raising questions over security protocols being followed for the Chief Minister. Revanth was scheduled to attend a press meet in Room No. 29 on the ground floor on Monday. When he entered the lift, the first-floor button had been selected instead. With security staff apparently unaware of the mix-up, the Chief Minister stepped out on the first floor and walked towards Room No. 29, only to discover that it was the education secretary’s chamber. Revanth chose to take the stairs to the ground floor, even as security personnel hurried towards the lift so that he could re-enter it. The incident has reportedly angered the Intelligence Security Wing, as the Chief Minister’s destination and floor are normally finalised in advance and the lift should be preset accordingly. The Chief Minister’s security wing questioned the Secretariat’s Chief Security Officer over the lapse, amid concerns that Secretariat security personnel were increasingly interfering in arrangements handled by the CM’s security team.
A complaints box for Gandhi Bhavan?
At Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress disciplinary committee found itself facing a question of its own discipline. Committee chairman Mallu Ravi told reporters that the panel had recommended to the party high command that minister Konda Surekha be dropped from the Cabinet and senior leader G. Chinna Reddy be removed as vice-chairman of the State Planning Board for making “anti-CM” and “anti-Congress” remarks. But when journalists asked why Munugode MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy had escaped similar action despite repeatedly making public comments critical of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the Congress, Ravi offered a rather simple explanation: No one had complained against Raj Gopal Reddy so far. He said the committee acted against Surekha and Chinna Reddy only after receiving complaints from party leaders and workers. The response, however, opened another can of worms. Critics wondered whether the disciplinary committee needed a formal complaint before acting or whether it could take suo motu cognisance of remarks made publicly by party leaders. The question doing the rounds in political circles is: Is Gandhi Bhavan waiting for a complaint box before enforcing party discipline?
Arvind presses the spy button
A political allegation quickly turned into an unusual X-to-X exchange between DGP C.V. Anand and BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind, with the police chief personally stepping in to address the MP’s claim of surveillance. It began with Arvind tagging the DGP on X, alleging that an ACP-rank officer was monitoring him and his movements at the behest of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s brother. He questioned whether the Telangana Police was functioning under the Constitution and the lawful chain of command or taking instructions from members of the Chief Minister’s family. The DGP responded within hours, saying he had taken the “time and all pains” to verify the allegation and categorically denied that any officer had been assigned to “tail” or watch Arvind, saying the police did not believe in or adopt such methods. However, Anand left the door open, asking the MP to share any additional details personally and promising to have them fully verified. When last heard, nothing more was said on the matter.
Vastu continues to spark BJP fears
Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao’s 48-hour ‘Feesula Bakayi — BJP Ladayi’ hunger strike ended ahead of schedule just a day later after a sharp dip in blood pressure left him unwell. The protest, demanding the release of ₹15,000 crore in pending fee reimbursements and scholarships affecting nearly 40 lakh students, was shifted to the BJP state headquarters in Nampally after police denied permission to stage it at Dharna Chowk. Party leaders K. Laxman, A. Maheshwar Reddy and others stepped in with lemon juice on doctors’ advice as Rao’s pulse fell steeply, bringing the fast to an abrupt close. While the BJP maintained that the early break was purely for medical reasons, some party activists were overheard murmuring that reopening the headquarters’ main door — closed during the last Assembly polls over alleged Vastu defects — might have invited bad luck, cutting the fast short well before the final whistle.
Central BJP’s eye on quarrelling state unit
The real import of the recent BJP decision to recast its national executive, which left out Telangana’s leaders, appears to be finally sinking in. When party president Nitin Nabin announced the recast, there was much hand-wringing within the Telangana BJP over how the state had been ignored and whether it was no longer a focus of the party. But insiders point to something else altogether. The BJP national leadership was vexed by the internal wrangling among senior leaders, the emergence of camps and the constant friction between some senior leaders. The message was that the party is paramount, not camps led by individuals, and that if anyone has anything to say or wants to do, they can consult the state party chief. Even more significantly, insiders say that, contrary to the opinion that the state has been abandoned, the current system means that the national leadership will now directly oversee the BJP’s plans when the next elections come around.
Lokesh and his crores of sisters
Rakshabandhan is all about brothers and sisters and the bond between them. For AP’s minister for education, IT & electronics Nara Lokesh, who does not have a sister of his own, the festival this year was an occasion to reflect on the love and affection he receives from his millions of sisters in the two Telugu states, which, he said, is unforgettable. Of course, being a brother also means realising the great sense of responsibility he carries. Lokesh, who in his Rakhi message said children are being taught moral lessons about respecting women, also noted that it is the responsibility of their people’s government to ensure women’s safety and empowerment.
Contributions by Neeraj Kumar, L. Venkat Ram Reddy, Balu Pulipaka, Sampat G. Samritan
