Andhra Pradesh

Atleast 19 persons, including ten Hanuman devotees were killed and several injured in four different road accidents in the state today. According to police, in a ghastly road accident in Karimnagar District, ten Hanuman devotees were killed and ten others injured when the lorry in which they were travelling overturned and fell into a gorge at Malyala Mandal in the district. The incident occured when 60 devotees hailing from Dharmaram of Nizambad District, travelling in a lorry returning after offering prayers at the temple, fell in a gorge when the lorry brakes failed.

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Officials today arrested a government official on the charges of bribe. In a release, the ACB here said Ms Sidrala Chandrakala (55) Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO), Chinnasankarampeta, Medak district was caught red handed by the ACB officials at her office when she demanded and accepted an amount of Rs 20,000 as bribe from the complainant for doing an official favour.

YSR Congress party president and Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy denied Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu’s allegation that he had spent huge money to win the by-poll in Kovur. Addressing a public meeting as part of his ongoing Odarpu yatra at Chilakaluri Pet in the district today, he dismissed charge of spending money to win by-polls and alleged that the TDP adopted all the immoral practices to win the election.

There appears to be a heavy demand for the Tirupati seat even before Chiranjeevi who has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha, had vacated it.

As Chiranjeevi’s selection for Rajya Sabha was a foregone conclusion, all the political parties have mentally prepared themselves for the by-election to be caused to Tirupati Assembly constituency. All important parties have even selected their candidates.

The state government today introduced the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural land (Conversion for non-agricultural purposes) (amendment) Bill, 2012 in the state Assembly for reducing conversion conversion charges from 10 to 5 per cent in Greater Municipal areas. On the advice of Speaker Nadendla Manohar, Revenue Minister Dr N Raghuveera Reddy moved the bill in the House.

Over 15 devotees were injured in a stampede in Sri Bramarambika Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple at Srisailam here on Tuesday.

According to reports, the stampede took place at Rajagopuram, the beginning of Sanctum Sanctorium of the temple, where thousands of devotees thronged in the wee hours to mark the beginning of Ugadi Celebrations at Srisailam from March 23. The injured includes women and aged people.

Tension mounted in a village in this district when unknown miscreants had set a statue of late Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on fire, before it was unveiled.

Bank transactions, Internet connections and telephones were badly affected in the city as major fire took place in the main telephone exchange at I town Area, here today. Fire officials said transformers and cables were gutted in the mishap and two fire tender put out the fire.

The loss, as per preliminary estimation, was put at Rs.20 lakh.

Short circuit was suspected to be the reason behind the mishap. Following the mishap, transactions in several banks got affected and most of the ATMs did not function. Hundreds of telephones and internet connections went out-of-order till evening.

District Collector S A M Rizvi today directed officials concerned to address the grievances of people within a stipulated time. After receiving representations from the people, during Prajavani programme, held at the Krishna district head quarters, Machilipatnam, he directed officials to resolve all the grievances within a stipulated time.

Andhra Pradesh Washermen Association president K Satyanarayana Rao, at the Prajavani programme, urged the Collector to take steps to extend Rs one lakh loan on subsidy, to the eligible washer men.

Isolated rain or thundershowers may occur over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema over next 48 hours. Dry would prevail over Telangana during the same period, the Met Office said here today.

The polling of by-elections in seven Assembly constituencies was completed peacefully except technical snags in EVMs at some places.

Informing this to media in his chamber in the Secretariat this evening, Chief Electoral Officer Banwarlal said that by and large, the polling was completed without any hurdle and the voters exercised their franchise. The percentage of polling was heavy. The voters, who were in queues till 5 pm at polling booths were provided an opportunity to cast their votes.

Information and Technology Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah cast his vote in Khilashapur village in Station Ghanpur constituency on Sunday.

Speaking to the media after exercising franchise, Ponnala exuded confidence that the Congress candidates would emerge winners by thumpinmg majorities. On the other hand, the voters in the constituency patiently waited in serpentine queues to exercise their right to vote. (NSS)

TRS candidate from Kollapur constituency Jupally Krishna Rao has alleged that the Centre and State governments have killed the democracy by deceiving the people by assuring that they would carve out separate Telangana State.

Speaking to the media after casting his vote in Kollapur Girls High School polling booth on Sunday, Jupally exuded confidence that the Telangana slogan would win in the bye-elections. The government has no moral right to rule, he added. (NSS)

Barring a few sporadic incidents, by and large by-elections to seven Assembly constituencies in the State passed off peacefully on Sunday.

According to Additional DGP (Law and Order) S A Huda, barring a few sporadic minor incidents of groups shouting at each other and a contesting candidate in Kamareddy arguing with the DSP on duty, no major incident took place. The Police acted timely to ensure the polls in a fair and free manner, he said.

The people of Sripurandarapuram village in Buchireddypalem Mandal in Nellore District today boycotted the bypoll falling under Kovur assembly constituency, alleging the government had failed to solve local problems especially supply of drinking water. Official sources said here the villagers were angry as the drinking water problem was not solved despite several representations. However, the district officials were holding talks with the vilagers to ensure that they exercise their franchise.

Bypolls were on in seven assembly constituencies of Andhra Pradesh Sunday, including six in the Telanaga region, with over 13.82 lakh voters eligible to exercise their franchise.

Polling began amid tight security at 8 a.m. The results will decide the fate of 67 candidates belonging to various political parties. Voters formed long queues outside several polling stations in the constituencies.

Polling for by-elections to seven Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh started this morning amid tight security.

Six of these constituencies – Kollapur, Nagarkurnool, Mahbubnagar, Kamareddy, Adilabad and Station Ghanpur – are in Telangana region, while the seventh, Kovvur, is in coastal Andhra.

Voting began at 8 a.m and will continue till 5 p.m. The total number of eligible voters is about 13 lakh. The state’s Chief Electoral Office Bhanwar Lal said that the election machinery was geared up for a smooth polling.

Renta Chintala in Guntur district and Adilabad town recorded highest temperatures in the country on Saturday with the Sun shedding scorching heat on Saturday.

Both the places recorded 40 degrees Celsius, highest during the season in the country. Several places in Telangana have recorded 39 degrees on Saturday. Temperatures rose even in the Seemandhra region. (NSS)

Tension prevailed in Nagarkurnool where former TDP legislator Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy is seeking re-election as an Independent, when shadow policemen tried to search his residence on Saturday.

Polling arrangements have been completed in Mahbubnagar district where by-elections to three Assembly constituencies – Kollapur, Mahbubnagar and Nagarkurnool — would be held on March 18.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been handed over to the polling staff on Saturday morning at the Boys Junior College here. The polling staff would leave with their EVMs to the polling centers by this evening.

The Merchant Navy Officers Association (MNOA) has Demanded the Kerala government to immediately release on bail Captain Gordon Pereia who was arrested while the ship M V Prabhu Daya collided with a fishing vessel Don-1 at kerala coast on march 1. Addressing a press conference here today, the President of the Association Capt Sushil Shankar alleged that the Capt of the ship Periera was held unfairly without any probe on the incident and lodged in the jail.

People of Andhra Pradesh are lagging behind in utilization of the right to information act and the number of users are very less when compared to the total population. Addressing a press conference in Rajahmundry today, chief information commissioner, AP Information commission Jannat Hussain has observed that the statistics showed that only one lakh people used the RTI act during 2010 and during 2011 it was slightly better with the figure stands at 1.20 lakh people.

A Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) employee was stabbed to death at the TTD administrative building here while he was entering the office today. According to police, the victim Mallikarjuna Rao, working as a senior assistant in the pay and accounts wing was allegedly had illegal intimacy with a woman, who was a co-employee. On coming to know about it, the woman’s husband Srinivas, chased Mr Mallikarjuna Rao when he was going to the office, on a vehicle and murdered him with a knife. Later, he surrendered to the police.

Former Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas on Saturday said that the party would not giving much significance to the by-elections being held in the seven Assembly segments in the State.

Communist Party of India state secretary K Narayana on Saturday stated that his party would boycott those ‘tainted’ Ministers who have been served notices by the Supreme Court for issuing controversial GOs, which helped YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy in allegedly accumulating wealth illegally.