Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, April 30: Underlining the importance of education, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday said a number of elite educational institutions have shown interest in setting up their campuses in Hyderabad.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for a new auditorium at the Birla Institute of Technological Sciences-Pilani, Hyderabad campus, he praised the efforts of former chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy and noted industrialist KK Birla to get Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s nod in setting up the BITS campus here.

Hyderabad, April 30: As part of its drive to remove illegal encroachments, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) on Thursday demolished unauthorised structures on HMDA land in Banjara Hills, adjoining the Sri Venkateswara Co-operative Housing Society.

The team comprising executive engineer, estate officers, deputy superintendent of police (Enforcement), other HMDA officers and local police removed encroachments and fencing was erected around the land boundary. HMDA officials said legal action will be initiated against encroachers.

Hyderabad, April 30: Disruption in Air India flight services was more severe on Thursday than the day before with the national carrier being able to fly only four flights from Hyderabad till evening.

The flights that the airlines could fly were: Hyderabad-Bangalore, Hyderabad-Delhi, Hyderabad-Vizag and Hyderabad-Mumbai.

In fact on Thursdays, Air India flies 20 flights from Hyderabad to various destinations both domestic and international.

Since the pilots were on strike, the management had decided to fly only 12 flights but even that was not possible.

Hyderabad, April 30: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board carried out vigilance checks in Narayanguda, Lalaguda, Prakashnagar and Begumpet against defaulters who have not paid dues for more than two months.

Apart from issuing disconnection notices, physical disconnections on ground will also be carried out for those who have not paid their bills, despite getting notices.

For example, corporator Uma Rani of Barkatpura area had been issued a disconnection notice, as she failed to clear dues of Rs 9,261, for more than three months.

Hyderabad, April 30: “Do whatever you like…. I will not talk to you because I have not done anything,”- was her defiant reply when Central Crime Station (CCS) sleuths tried to interrogate Suman Singh, the woman posing as a high-profile government officer.

Hyderabad, April 30: Following in the footsteps of the Congress with which it is to merge soon, the Praja Rajyam Party petitioned deputy speaker for the disqualification of two of its MLAs — Bhuma Shobha Nagi Reddy (Allagadda) and Katasani Ramireddy (Banaganapalle) — who are showing loyalty to YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy.

For more than a year, the two MLAs have made no secret of their affinity for Jagan Mohan Reddy.

All this while the PRP made no move to rein them in or have their membership of the Assembly nixed.

Vijayawada, April 30: The rescheduled counselling for admissions to postgraduate medical courses of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences commenced two hours behind schedule here on Thursday due to a technical snag.

The counselling, which was scheduled to commence on April 25, was postponed to April 28 due to the High Court’s order that ‘local category’ seats be filled up first.

The university authorities filed a petition in the High Court, and after getting ratification from the government, commenced counselling on Thursday.

Kadapa, April 30: Actor-turned politician Chiranjeevi on Friday came down heavily on YSR party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy while campaigning for Congress candidates in by-elections to Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing meetings in road show at various villages from Chintakommadinne to Pulivendula mandals, Chiranjeevi alleged that Jagan, the son of late chief minister Y S Rajsekhara Reddy, is very keen to became the chief minister.

He asked the people to defeat Jagan by casting their votes in favour of Congress.

Kadapa, April 29: The Praja Rajyam party president, Mr K Chiranjeevi, who launched election campaigning in Kadapa on Friday, for the first time, made a blistering attack on the YSR Congress party chief, Mr Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Kadapa(AP), April 29: Terming Jagan Mohan Reddy as ‘overambitious’, Telugu Desam Party president Chandra Babu Naidu today said that Jagan Mohan Reddy should not think chief minister’s post is hereditary.

Speaking during campaigning for the party candidates in Kadapa and Pulivendula bye-elections Naidu said YSR Congress Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the legal heir of the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, has already taken over the properties of his father. But he is now getting overambitious and wants to become the Chief Minister of the state as well like his father.

Visakhapatnam, April 29: Andhra University (AU) Vice-Chancellor B Satayanarayana launched a new MBA course in hospital administration in Technical collaboration with Government King George Hospital(KGH), one of the premier Hospitals in Andhra Pradesh here.

Puttaparthi, April 29: Amid growing apprehensions about a protracted struggle to control the powerful Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, the trustees on Thursday tried to present a united front saying that a new chairman would be elected soon as Sathya Sai Baba had neither left a will nor named any successor. Two Trust members would also be given the power to sign cheques in place of the ‘godman’.

Hyderabad, April 28: Eight militia members of the CPI-Maoist, including four women, today surrendered before the police in Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh.

The members, between ages 20-27, were allegedly involved in many offences including murder of homeguard Chaithanya, burning of excavator at Chatti and burning of crusher mill at Gangnnametta besides providing logistical support to the fellow Maoists, according to the police.

They surrendered voluntarily before Khammam district Superintendent of Police, Kanti Rana Tata.

Kadapa, April 28: YSR Congress President Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy today said he was ready to join hands with BJP if it supports reservation for Muslims.

“So far, I do not have any allegiance with BJP. But if BJP agrees to support reservation for Muslims at the national level, I will join hands with them,” he said.

Jagan was addressing a gathering of the minority community members at Proddatur town, 55 kms from here, ahead of the May 8 bypoll to Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, where he is one of the candidates.

Kadapa, April 27: The Congress and its offshoot, the YSR Congress, are competing with each other in electioneering and making all-out efforts to win the Kadapa Lok Sabha by-election on the plank of YSR’s programmes. Interestingly, both the parties claim to be the real heirs to YSR legacy. The former chief minister’s photos are seen in nook and corner of the area where Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula assembly polls are slated for May 8.

Puttaparthi, April 27: The mortal remains of Sri Sathya Sai Baba will be laid to rest in accordance with Hindu traditional practices and with full state honours between 9 a.m and 10.30 a.m at the Sai Kulwant Hall in Prashanti Nilayam on Wednesday.

Puttaparthi, April 27: Ordinary devotees flocking Prasanthi Nilayam here for a final darshan of Sathya Sai Baba are left disappointed as they are unable to catch a glimpse of his mortal remains even as the rich and the mighty are being extended special privileges to get closer to his body.

The queue lines for the common devotees are blocked at least 30 feet away from the glass casket in which the Baba’s body is lying, depriving them of a clear view.

Kadapa, April 26: Acting on a tip-off the One Town police led by circle inspector Ghouse raided Harita Hotel Room, where YSR Congress leaders Jupudi Prabhakar and Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy were staying, on Sunday night and seized 150 watches and 200 pens having images of YSR on them citing election code of conduct.

When questioned, Bhaskar Reddy claimed that the material belonged to one Manjunath of Bangalore and he brought them for selling them.

He failed to explain what they were doing in their hotel room.

Hyderabad, April 26: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday stayed the publication of Chapter-VIII of the Srikrishna Committee report on the Telangana issue which had been kept a secret due to the sensitive nature of its contents.

A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Nissar Ahmad Kakru and Justice Vilas Afzalpurkar issued the directive on an appeal filed by the Centre against an earlier order of the High Court facilitating the publication of the relevant chapter.

Hyderabad, April 26: The state government has decided to centralise foodgrain supplies to social welfare hostels to ensure quality and better monitoring and accountability.

The decision to centralise supplies was taken at a review meeting held by chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy with social welfare minister Pitani Satyanarayana here today.

Supply of rice, wheat, dal, oil, beans, etc to all social welfare hostels will be made hereafter through the AP State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, and dry chilies, tamarind and turmeric though AP Girijan Co-operative Corporation Limited.

Hyderabad, April 26: The Division bench of the AP High court gave a breather to former Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his many companies.

The bench posted a batch of cases seeking enquiry into the affairs of Emaar and various other companies said to be owned by Jagan, to June after summer vacation.

It may be recalled that textiles minister Shanker Rao had written to the chief justice for a full-fledged enquiry into the said activities. A case was also filed by TDP leaders K Yerran Naidu and P Ashok Gajapathi Raju seeking a CBI enquiry into Jagan’s assets.

Proddattur, April 26: YSR Congress president and candidate YS Jaganmohan Reddy campaigned for the byelections in Velupucheruvi, Uppaluru, Konapuram, Karchuguntapalle, Chillamkuru, RTPP Colony, Pata Kalamala, Malepadu, Potladurthi villages in Muddanuru, Yerraguntla and Jammalamamdugu mandals on Monday.

Imitating his father’s style, Jagan said he is contesting the elections to ‘see smiles on the faces of people’.

Hyderabad, April 26: It was a hectic day for Assembly deputy speaker Nadendla Manohar with a stream of politicians calling on him on various issues, ranging from seeking disqualification of MLAs, initiating privilege motions and constitution of house committee into allotment of lands made by the government in the past.

The day began with TDP rebel MLAs Y Bala Nagi Reddy (Mantralayam) and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada), who received notices from the deputy speaker on disqualification issue, met him separately.

Putthaparthi, April 26: With devotees continuing to surge into the town to offer their homage to the late Sathya Sai Baba, authorities today extended the final darshan timing till midnight.

Three special trains from Secunderabad, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada brought in a large number of devotees to the town on the final day of darshan.

Inspector General (Rayalaseema Region) Santosh Mehra said the darshan timing, which was to end at 6 pm today, has been extended till about midnight.

Prodattur, April 26: With less than two weeks left for bypolls to Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly seats, leaders of political parties stepped up campaigning.

In Proddatur town, YSR Congress party leaders, including former minister Konda Surekha and former MLA MV Ramana Reddy undertook door-to-door campaigning in several wards and urged people to vote for YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.