No alliance with YSR Congress: BJP

Warangal, May 02: BJP state president G Kishan Reddy on Sunday reiterated that there was no question of any alliance with YSR Congress as was being speculated in political circles. He said the Congress and TDP leaders were propagating this for political gains at the byelections in Kadapa and Pulivendula.

Babu urges EC to ensure fair voting

Kadapa, May 02: Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday appealed to the Election Commission to take all measures for conducting the by-elections in Kadapa and Pulivendula constituencies in a free and fair manner.

In a letter addressing to the Election Commission, which was released to the media, the TDP president urged Election Commission to conduct byelections in a peaceful manner, which was known for election malpractices.

He also appealed to the Commission to appoint Central observers in all the constituencies in Kadapa to prevent rigging and unfair practices.

Chiranjeevi criticises Jagan

Kadapa (AP), May 01: Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi today appealed to the electorate to ensure the defeat of YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy and his mother in May 8 bypolls in Kadapa district.

Chiranjeevi, who recently merged his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) with the Congress, accused Jagan of encouraging goons in the district.

The megastar alleged Jagan was ‘blackmailing’ Congress party, which elevated him and his family to the helm in the state.

Attack on Chandrababu’s convoy by YSR Cong supporters

Hyderabad, May 01: Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu’s convoy was on Saturday allegedly stoned by supporters of YSR Congress party when he was addressing a road show as part of the by-election campaign at Lingala in Kadapa district.

The incident occurred close on the heels of a similar attack on Praja Rajyam Party chief K Chiranjeevi’s road show in Pulivendula constituency on Friday night.

Undeterred by the attack, Chandrababu continued his road show, asserting that he would not be cowed down by such attacks.

Jagan asserts to dislodge Congress in AP

Kadapa, May 01: YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy today said his party would dislodge Congress government on popular support and seek fresh mandate in one year.

“There will be elections in one year or six months from now. Our government will come and we will implement all the welfare schemes (initiated by late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy) effectively,” said Jagan during his election campaign in Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency.

Jagan is seeking re-election from Kadapa Lok Sabha in the bypoll to be held on May 8.

Bhavani’s body laid to rest in Vijayawada

Hyderabad, April 30: The murder of 14-year-old Bhavani by her classmate during a visit to Vijayawada is being hotly discussed by their neighbours at the Sanjay Gandhi Nagar in Jeedimetla here.

“It was really unfortunate that such a thing occurred in the family of Panga Yadagiri and Sashikala. Yadagiri, a native to Warangal, migrated to the state capital and started iron scrap business at Jeedimetla. Having no children, he adopted Bhavani, daughter of his brother. The couple treated Bhavani with affection and pampered her since her childhood,’’ recalled G Jyothi, a tenant of Yadgiri.

Showcause notices to PRP rebel MLAs

Hyderabad, April 30: Even as the political scene is hotting up in Kadapa, complaints and petitions against the rebel MLAs particularly those loyal to Jagan Mohan Reddy of YSR Congress party were being made by the political parties concerned in recent times.

Based on the petitions, notices are being served against the legislators asking them to respond.

Chiru greeted with eggs, slippers

Kadapa, April 30: There was tension in Pulivendula on Friday when alleged YSR Congress activists hurled eggs, stones, slippers and sticks on Praja Rajyam chief and Tirupati legislator K Chiranjeevi and some others during a road show conducted by the Congress.

At the Muddanur Circle, when the situation seemed slipping out of hand, police were forced to use mild lathicharge to control the violence and took one person into custody for stone-throwing.

HC rejects Maytas Properties’ plea

Hyderabad, April 30: A bench of the High Court comprising justice Ghulam Mohammad and justice KG Shanker on Friday rejected the plea of Maytas Properties on the jurisdiction of the State Consumer Forum or the district fora to entertain complaints from its erstwhile customers in view of the clauses of arbitration in the agreements with the said parties. The bench declared that the jurisdiction of the consumer fora were not excluded.

TTD to give special quota darshan for newly-weds

Tirumala, April 30: TTD has come up with a novel idea for the newly-wed couple, who wants to have a darshan of Lord Balaji.

Henceforth, they can avail the newly introduced special quota in the current booking for Kalyanotsavams.

Explaining the new initiative to media persons here on Friday, TTD executive officer IYR Krishna Rao said that the new system will come into force from April 30 onwards.

Tickets will be issued to the couple on first-come- first-served basis and at the same time the ticket-holders should have been married not more than a week while availing the special quota.

Rs 13 lakh cash seized by district police

Prodattur, April 30: Police on Friday seized large amounts of cash being brought into the district, suspected to be for distributing among the voters.

Chapadu SI Gurunath and his team seized Rs 13 lakh from a car, while checking the vehicles at his police station.

On being questioned, Phani, the person who was carrying the cash in the car, said that he is from Bellary in Karnataka and was going to Nellore for purchasing gold.

Depressed over poor marks, student ends life

Nellore, April 30: Depressed over not getting the marks he had expected, a 17-year old Intermediate student K Harsha Pratap allegedly committed suicide here on Thursday evening.

However, the police did not confirm the suicide. It is learnt that the family members of the boy cremated him on Friday afternoon even before the news of his death spread.

Sources said the family members came to know of the tragedy, only when they found the boy’s body hanging from the ceiling in his room at midnight, after making a futile search for him elsewhere.

GITAM student commits suicide

Vishakapatnam, April 30: A second year student of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) stream of GITAM Dental College, N Rupika on Friday committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling of her hostel room at Rushikonda.

According to reports, 19-year-old Rupika, a student from Tanuku of West Godavari district, attended her classes as usual today morning and returned to her room at around 12.30 pm.

Later, the roommates of Rupika knocked on the door of her room several times but she did not open. Suspecting that something was wrong, they informed the hostel authorities at around 3 pm.

Caught, triple murderer commits suicide

Vijayawada, April 30: It was a bloody saga which began on Thursday with the murder of a woman, followed by the discovery of the bodies of her two daughters several hours later and then ended up on Friday with the accused, the woman’s husband and father of the two, ending his life by jumping to death from a building while being interrogated by the police.

What lay behind all the killings was Rao’s doubt about his wife’s fidelity.

Workshop on Smart Grid model

Hyderabad, April 30: Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) chairman and managing director, MT Krishna Babu said utility departments should prepare a road map of their vision.

He was speaking at a workshop on ‘Smart Grid Maturity Model’ (SGMM) held on behalf of USAID here on Friday.

He said that efficiency has to be improved and loss, especially technical, besides theft of power have to come down.

With a turnover of three billion dollars, CPDCL is one of the leading distribution companies, he said.

–Agencies

Court order on CAT verdict expected on Saturday

Hyderabad, April 30: The High Court on Friday heard inconclusively the arguments on the writ petitions filed by the state government and director- general of police K Aravinda Rao seeking a stay on the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal which set aside Rao’s appointment as the DGP (Head of Police Force).

The bench is expected give an order on the interim applications on Saturday.

Besides the government and Rao, writ petitions were also filed by V Dinesh Reddy, director-general of vigilance and enforcement, whose elevation to the DGP cadre was quashed by CAT.

Farewell Parade for SCR general manager

Hyderabad, April 30: Highlighting efforts of the Railway Protection Force in protecting railway assets and passengers during the Telangana agitation, South Central Railway general manager MS Jayanth said there was a need to strengthen the integrated security system for the benefit of passengers.

The RPF organised a farewell parade on Friday at the RPF centre in Moula Ali, in honour of MS Jayanth on the occasion of his retirement.

Jayanth is from the 1974 batch of the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS). Later, he inaugurated the RPF mess and staff barrack at the premises.

Classmate kills runaway kid for her wanderlust

Vijayawada, April 30: The case of Panga Bhavani, a missing teenager from Hyderabad, was solved on Friday with her killer and fellow student Pappu alias Praveen Prakash confessing to have pushed her into the river Krishna from the Kanakadurga Varadhi.

The Class VI girl — police say she’s 12 but her neighbours claim she’s 14 — had left Hyderabad for Tirupati on April 21 along with her classmates Pappu, also of the same age, Sirisha and Srikanth, who is one year junior to them at school.

Telangana sizzles in summer heat

Hyderabad, April 30: Isolated rain occurred in many places in North Andhra on Friday while dry weather conditions prevailed in Rayalaseema and Telangana. A highest day temperature of 42.7 degree Celsius was reported from Nizamabad.

Pleasant weather conditions would prevail in coastal Andhra in the next 48 hours.

The Meteorological Department officials predicted that isolated rains would occur in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions in the next few days while dry weather conditions would continue in many places in Telangana.

Sai successor may be named next week

Putthaparthi, April 30: Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust on Thursday blamed “vested interests” for the recent spate of “untrue” and “engineered” reports about infighting, flight of gold from Prashanti Nilayam and Baba’s medical condition prior to his admission to Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Medical Sciences.

Addressing a press conference, perhaps, for the first time, at the Sathya Sai Indoor Stadium here, the trustees, in one voice, asserted that the Trust was transparent and united and rubbished the controversies as “uninspiring.”

Probe Jagan’s illegal assets, says VHR

Hyderabad, April 30: Citing instances of a probe into 2G spectrum and CWG scam and arrest of former Union minister A Raja and Suresh Kalmadi, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao on Friday asserted that the government should order a probe into the “illegal assets” of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSR Congress party. He criticised the BJP leaders for keeping mum on the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Jagan.

Addressing newsmen at his residence here on Friday, Hanumantha Rao claimed that Congress would be benefited if Jagan joins hands with the BJP.

Nagam adamant to hold meet on May 9

Hyderabad, April 30: Deviating from the party line, rebel Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Nagam Janardhan Reddy has decided to go ahead with his first public meeting in his Nagarkurnool Assembly segment on May 9.

Stating that the meeting would be organised sans TDP flags, Nagam said all those supporting the cause of Telangana were most welcome to the meet.

However, the rebel TDP MLA claimed that the meeting was being held in accordance with the party line.

CAT ruling throws the race for DGP wide open

Hyderabad, April 30: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) verdict on the promotions of IPS 1977 officers to the rank of DGP has poured water over the chances of V Dinesh Reddy becoming DGP any time now.

Until the verdict Wednesday, there had been speculation that he was a favourite for the post when it falls vacant with retirement of K Aravinda Rao.

Since the CAT has held valid the promotion of K Aravinda Rao as DG and not as DGP, HOPF, from Sept. 1, 2010, only those officers who rose to the DGP rank on or before that date will be considered for the top post.

GAD refuses to reimburse police expenses

Hyderabad, April 30: Was the amount of about Rs 65 lakh due to the two Supreme Court advocates who defended the then DGP RR Girish Kumar before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) paid from the Secret Reserve (SR) funds of the Andhra Pradesh police?

If sources are to be believed, the amount was indeed paid from the SR funds and the top brass of the state police and the General Administration Department (GAD) have locked horns over the issue with the latter reportedly refusing to ”reimburse” the amount to the state police.

Prison BPO to begin work shortly

Hyderabad, April 30: The first Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) unit at Cherlapally central prison is all set to work with IT companies from May-end, said KC Srinivas Rao, prison superintendent.

The BPO unit has got work orders from the Indian Postal and Life Insurance departments and would start functioning soon.

The unit would focus on national and international IT companies and also working in a public-private partnership with global IT firm Radiant Info Systems Ltd.