Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada, December 25: On the direction of a court, Nandigama Police in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh has registered a case against Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhara Rao for allegedly making a statement ‘which could cause fear in the minds of the people.’

Nandigama Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate K Salija, on December 23, directed the police to register a case against Mr Rao and hold an inquiry after hearing a petition filed by local advocate N Sriram Murthy to this effect.

Hyderabad, December 25: Reacting sharply to Home Minister P Chidambaram’s statement favouring need for wide ranging consulataions, TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao announced his resignation along with other MPs.

Eleven Congress MPs from Telangana today said that they will resign from the House in protest against the Centre’s decision that appeared to put the separate state issue on the backburner.

The 11 MPs met at the Andhra Bhavan in New Delhi to chalk out their strategy in the wake of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s statement last night.

Hyderabad, December 25: Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday rejected the Centre’s reported move to go for a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) on Telangana statehood issue and expressed helplessness if the agitation for the separate state took a violent turn.

Replying to a query from mediapersons, he said appointing a second SRC is not at all acceptable to the TRS.

“In fact, it is an insult to us. The first SRC had recommended formation of Telangana. Then where is the question of a second SRC now?” he said.

Hyderabad, December 24: The political crisis in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue deepened Thursday night with all 13 ministers from the region deciding to resign while 64 legislators – cutting across political lines – have so far submitted their resignations to the assembly speaker.

Minister for Higher Education D. Sridhar Babu told reporters that ministers from the region decided to meet Chief Minister K. Rosaiah Friday and submit their resignations.

He said they would also visit New Delhi to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and convey their views on the issue.

Hyderabad, December 24: Telugu film industry expressed anguish over attacks on film personalities at shooting spots near Hyderabad over last few days.

The AP Film Chamber of Commerce, Producers Council, Hyderabad Film Chamber of Commerce, Movies Artists Association and AP Film Employees federation in a joint statement today said that film industry does not belong to any political party and recent attacks would be treated as attack on the industry itself.

Hyderabad, December 24: Andhra Pradesh Governor Narayan Datt Tiwari today expressed his anguish over the violent incidents in the Telangana region following the Centre’s latest announcement on the statehood issue.

“The Governor expressed his anguish when Chief Minister K Rosaiah apprised him, over phone, of the prevailing situation in the state today,” Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy said.

Hyderabad, December 24: In order to clear the extra rush of passengers, the South Central Railway will run special trains between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, and Kacheguda and Sri Satya Sai Prashanti Nilayam.

Hyderabad, December 24: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Congress and Praja Rajyam in Telangana have decided to form a joint action committee to spearhead the Telangana movement.

The newly-formed JAC called a bandh in Telangana region for 48 hours from tomorrow and appealed to people to maintain peace and not to resort to violence.

They also decided to rope the Telugu Desam into the committee and received support from the BJP and CPI.

Hyderabad, December 24: Facing the heat from their constituents as well as fellow legislators, Andhra Pradesh ministers hailing from Telangana region today came forward to resign from their posts but Chief Minister K Rosaiah prevented them from doing so.

The ministers first met state Congress Committee president D Srinivas in the morning and said there should have been more clarity in Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s latest statement on the statehood issue.

A clear-cut timeframe should have been fixed for the formation of Telangana state, they said.

Hyderabad, December 24: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology, Sports and Youth Services Komatireddy Venkata Reddy today resigned from his post saying he was “pained by” the Centre’s statement that further discussions are needed on the Telangana issue.

He also submitted his resignation for his MLA’s post.

Venkata Reddy, who has been a vociferous supporter of separate Telangana demand, is the first minister from the region to step down from his post in the aftermath of the Centre’s latest announcement on the statehood demand.

Vijayawada, December 24: Welcoming the statement of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram regaring Telangana in New Delhi last night, City Congress Chief Pyala Somi Naidu and MLC Illapuram Venkaiah today announced the withdrawal of their resignations with immediate effect.

Mr Chidambaram said yesterday that there was a need to hold a wide range of consultations with all political parties and groups on the issue of carving a separate Telangana state.

Hyderabad, Dec 24: The Centre on Thursday rushed 1,150 additional para-military men to Andhra Pradesh in the wake of a 48-hour bandh called by the TRS in Telangana region.

Ten companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were airlifted from here as well as from Jalandhar and Chandigarh to be sent to Hyderabad, a senior Home Ministry official said.

With this, the total strength of central forces in the state will increase from 28 companies to 38 companies, comprising about 4,000 men.

Hyderabad, December 24: SSC examinations are not likely to be held in March this year. They may well be postponed to April given the pressure mounting on the Various private schools from the state, especially those in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are asking for postponement of the SSC 2010 exams.

The department of school education has received hundreds of requests from various schools in the past one week due to the crisis in the state.

Hyderabad, December 24: Incensed with the Union government’s apparent move to put the separate Telangana issue on the backburner, spontaneous protests broke out in various parts of the city late on Wednesday night with protesters damaging public property.

Chief minister K Rosaiah held an emergency meeting with director general of police (DGP) R R Girish Kumar and other senior officers to assess the situation. Police were told not to be lenient with anyone who tries to create law and order problems.

Hyderabad, December 24: The central government Wednesday softened its stance on the formation of a separate Telangana state stressing the need to hold consultations with all political parties on the issue.

The move plunged Andhra Pradesh into crisis as Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao resigned as MP and over 20 state legislators also quit. The TRS has also called for a 48-hour shutdown.

Hyderabad, December 24: The Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that there is need for wider consultation on the issue of creation of separate Telangana state since the situation in Andhra Pradesh has altered.

He said that differences have emerged amongst various political parties in Andhra Pradesh on the issue and hence, the Centre will take steps to involve all concerned in the process

Hyderabad, December 24: Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s announcement drew immediate condemnation from K. Chandrasekhar Rao who met leaders of various parties from the region and called it a “betrayal”.

Several TRS, Congress and Praja Rajyam MPs, MLAs and MLCs have resigned accusing the Centre of putting in “cold storage” the formation of Telangana State.

New Delhi, December 23: Softening its stance on the formation of separate Telangana state, the government Wednesday said there was need to hold wide-ranging consultations with all political parties in Andhra Pradesh to reach a consensus on the issue.

The move came after the announcement by Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Dec 9 about the government’s acceptance of the demand for the formation of a separate Telangana state led to a political tempest with mass resignations by legislators from all parties protesting the move to divide the state.

Hyderabad, December 23: Employees of Pegasystems from different pockets of India came together and thronged this abode as a part of the celebration. As Christmas celebration is incomplete without Santa Claus and his gifts, Pegasystems hosted “Secret Santa”, the traditional gift exchange ceremony with twist to be accomplished for the team.

Hyderabad, December 23: In his inimitable style, controversial Congress MP from Vijayawada Lagadapati Rajagopal finally called off his ‘‘fake’’ fast-unto-death, by his own admission, here on Tuesday.

‘‘I was on a real, Mahatma Gandhi deeksha (hunger strike) for five days and seven hours till December 20th evening when police forcibly broke my camp and admitted me to the Government hospital in Vijayawada where doctors administered IV fluids to me,’’ he explained at a press conference here.

Hyderabad, December 23: To clear extra rush of passenger traffic, the South Central Railway will run special trains from Secuderabad to Kakinada, Narsapur and Machillipatnam. Train No.0701 Secunderabad-Kakinada Town Special train will depart from Secunderabad on January 3, 8,11, 14 and 15, at 22.30 hrs and arrive in Kakinada Town at 08.50 hrs the next day.

In the return direction, Train No. 0700 Kakinada Town-Secunderabad Special train will depart from Kakinada Town on January 4,9,12,15 and 16, at 21.00 hrs and arrive in Secunderabad at 08.00 hrs the next day.

New Delhi, December 23: The Congress high command is still mulling ways to wriggle out of the crisis in Andhra Pradesh in the wake of its announcement in favour of creation of a separate Telangana State.

Though a statement, which would satisfy leaders of all the three regions, was expected on Tuesday, it did not come despite several rounds of discussions.

Hyderabad, December 23: As there was no fresh statement from the Centre on Telangana, Telugu Desam Party leaders have decided to scale down their agitation and continue it for a longer period.

Party legislators in Anantapur and Nellore districts withdrew their hunger strike while their counterparts in Krishna, Guntur and West Godavari districts are continuing.

In Anantapur party legislators P Sunitha and P Raghunatha Reddy withdrew their fast-unto-death on the advice of party Politburo member K Yerran Naidu today.

Karimnagar, December 23: Denouncing PRP chief Chiranjeevi’s flip-flip on Telangana, about 60 PRP activists led by former joint secretary of the party, D Omprasad today joined Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the presence of TRS MLC Naradasu Laxman Rao at the Karimnagar Press Bhavan here.

He welcomed the rebel activists by offering party kanduvas.

Chiranjeevi who attracted us with his slogan social justice betrayed us with his dramatic change in stance, Omprasad said.

Vijaywada, December 23: The fast-unto-death undertaken by Mylavaram Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Legislator Devineni Umamaheswara Rao in support of ‘United Andhra Pradesh’ entered the 11th day today even as his health condition was still ‘critical’.

Mr Rao was shifted to NRI Medical College and Hospital at Chinnakakani in the neighbouring Guntur district from Government General Hospital here few days ago after his health condition deteriorated.