Andhra Pradesh

New Delhi, December 29: The assurances by the top leadership, including Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, Sonia Gandhi’s political adviser Ahmed Patel and law minister Veerappa Moily, on resolving the Telangana crisis have failed to mollify the agitating Congress legislators and state ministers from the region.

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A delegation of nine ministers from Telangana met Mukherjee on Sunday night, seeking the Centre’s promise “not to backtrack on the Telangana issue”.

Hyderabad, December 29: The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to intensify both the Jai Telangana and Jai Andhra movements to “expose” the Congress and main Opposition Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) double standards on the bifurcation of the State.

The State unit of the party will formally launch its Jai Andhra movement from Vijayawada tomorrow under the leadership of vicepresident K Haribabu.

It has also decided to provide free legal aid to all activists in the two regions taking part in the movements.

New Delhi, December 29: Even as the Congress leaders from the Telangana region met the party brass seeking clarity on the issue, the leadership seemed set to make Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah the fall guy.

One of the party’s top leaders, close to the Gandhi family, let it out that the party High Command was far from happy with Rosaiah’s performance, especially his handling of the Andhra- Telangana crisis.

Vijayawada, December 28: Major Industries Minister Kanna Laxminarayana said that the State was in the forefront in the manufacture of iron, cement, paper, bulk drug and pharmaceuticals and added that the State was now developing on par with Gujarat on the industrial front.

Delivering his key-note address at the golden jubilee celebrations of Vijayawada Iron and Hardware Merchants Association at Amma Kalyanamandapam here today, the minister said that the State had a prosperous future in the days to come with huge findings of petroleum reserves in the Krishna-Godavari Basin.

THE allocation of the lion’s share of funds to the Telangana region by successive governments in violation of the Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1956 has made the carving out of a separate Andhra imperative, maintains “Pratyeka Andhra Sadhana Samithi” organising secretary Sunkara Krishna Murthy.

The discrimination had resulted in the neglect of both the coastal and Rayalaseema regions, he says, and points out that over 58.5 per cent of irrigation funds were being allocated to Telangana alone.

Vijayawada, December 28: IMMERSING the ashes of Kakani Venkataratnam, an inspirational leader who died at the peak of the Jai Andhra movement on 25 December 1972, his fellows took a pledge on the banks of the Krishna in Vijayawada that they would realise his dream of a separate Andhra.

Yesterday, 37 years later, votaries of Andhra met to commemorate the death anniversary of Kakani and determined that only separation was the solution to the present political crisis in the State.

Hyderabad, December 28: Chhattisgarh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Monday took additional charge as the governor of Andhra Pradesh following the resignation of N.D. Tiwari.

Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court A.R. Dave administered the oath of office to Mr. Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the governor.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, his cabinet colleagues, leaders of various parties, Chief Secretary Ramakanth Reddy and other top officials attended the simple ceremony.

Hyderabad, December 28: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah called on E. S. L. Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan a few hours after the latter was sworn in as the Governor here on Monday.

Mr. Rosaiah was accompanied by Home Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy, Director General of Police R. R. Girish Kumar and other senior police officials. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes during which the Chief Minister is understood to have briefed Mr. Narasimhan about the latest political and law & order situation. An official spokesman, however, described the meeting as `a courtesy call’.

Hyderabad, December 28: THE allocation of the lion’s share of funds to the Telangana region by successive governments in violation of the Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1956 has made the carving out of a separate Andhra imperative, maintains “Pratyeka Andhra Sadhana Samithi” organising secretary Sunkara Krishna Murthy.

The discrimination had resulted in the neglect of both the coastal and Rayalaseema regions, he says, and points out that over 58.5 per cent of irrigation funds were being allocated to Telangana alone.

Hyderabad, December 27: An 84-year-old Indian politician has resigned after a sex tape was broadcast allegedly showing him in bed with three women.

Narayan Dutt Tiwari, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh in south-east India, had maintained his innocence after the sex tape was aired a day ago on the news channel Andhra Jyothi.

He has now has bowed to pressure and resigned, the Indian Express reports.

Hyderabad, December 27: As Andhra Pradesh boils over the Telangana issue, public and private properties worth over Rs250 crore were destroyed by protesters in all the three regions of the state so far, government sources said.

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New Delhi, December 27:Chhattisgarh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will take on the additional charge of Andhra Pradesh Monday following the dramatic resignation of N.D. Tiwari.

Soon after the Rashtrapati Bhavan made the announcement Sunday, Narasimhan told IANS that he would be sworn in Monday.

“I will be taking charge tomorrow (Monday),” Narasimhan said. “I will be sworn in by the chief justice (of the Andhra Pradesh High Court).”

Tiwari, 86, resigned Saturday citing health grounds after he was linked to a sex scandal. Tiwari has denied the charge.

Hyderabad, December 27: As Andhra Pradesh boils over the Telangana issue, public and private properties worth over Rs 250 crore were destroyed by protesters in all the three regions of the state so far, government sources said.

Adding the loss caused to businesses because of the seemingly unending spate of shutdowns in Telangana, the figure could be a few hundred crores of rupees more.

Of the total loss to properties, about 80 per cent was caused in Telangana region alone where people demanding a separate state have been more “violent,” the sources said.

Hyderabad, December 27: Cracking down on the agitators involved in the attacks on public property during the Telangana agitation, police started picking up suspects involved in the attacks.

Sources said Task Force sleuths also nabbed Srikanth Raju, one of the persons behind the attack on Janardhan Reddy, and handed him over to the CID which is investigating into the attack. “Three persons were taken into custody for the attack on the legislator,’’ Additional Director-General of Police AK Khan told reporters.

Some history-sheeters were involved in the attack, he added.

Hyderabad, December 27: The CPM Politburo demanded the Centre to start consultations to restore peace and normalcy in the State.

The Pol i tburo, which met today in Delhi, alleged that though the Centre has said it would start talks with all parties and civil society, no modalities have been worked out yet as to when and how the talks will proceed.

It expressed deep concern over the situation in the State and felt that the Congress party and the Central Government have thoroughly mishandled the issue.

Hyderabad, December 27: The South Central Railway is introducing a new Passenger train between Manuguru and Kazipet and a Weekly Holiday Special from Secunderabad to Bhadrachalam Road.

The zonal railway has improved railway infrastructure and train services in the Dornakal-Bhadrachalam- Manuguru section keeping in view the needs of the large n umb e r o f industrial workers in the area and thousands of pilgrims visiting Sri Rama temple in Bhadrachalam.

Hyderabad, December 27: Tourism and hospitality industry seems to be the worsthit sector in the State, more particularly in the State capital, due to the political crisis.

Despite hoteliers slashing room rents by 30 to 40 per cent and air carriers offering discounts and incentives to usher in the holiday season, the number of travellers has come down drastically.

“The leisure-traveller segment has been hit badly.

Hyderabad, December 27: More than two months after the flood waters submerged the Srisailam hydel power station in October, four of the seven units (110 MW each) of the Srisailam Right Bank Power Station today started operations. The remaining three units will start functioning from January 15. The Srisailam Left Bank Power Station, which was also submerged in the flood waters, has already started its operations.

Hyderabad, December 27: Railways is cancelling 70 passenger and short distance express trains tomorrow due to large-scale damage to tracks, signalling equipment and other installations during the bandh in Telangana region.

“The large-scale damage to tracks, vital signalling equipments and other installations during yesterday’s bandh in Telangana has resulted in disruption of services and hence 70 trains have been cancelled for tomorrow,” SCR Chief Public Relations Officer Chandrima Roy said here today.

Hyderabad,December 27: Stepping up its campaign, a grouping of political parties from Telangana today set an ultimatum to the Centre asking it to announce a timeframe by Monday for formation of the separate state, failing which an indefinite bandh would be enforced from December 29.

Sporadic violence by pro-Telangana activists in the region targeted TDP as they set on fire the party’s office in Karimnagar district and burnt effigies of TDP leaders in Warangal, Nalgonda and Adilabad districts.

New Delhi, December 26: N D Tiwari today resigned as Andhra Pradesh Governor in the wake of a raging controversy after a sting operation purportedly showed him in a compromising position with three women. 86-year-old Tiwari, a former chief minister of undivided Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, sent his resignation to President Pratibha Patil on “health grounds”, said a press communique from the Raj Bhavan.

New Delhi, December 26: N D Tiwari’s continuance as Andhra Pradesh Governor appears to have become untenable today with indications that the 86-year-old leader may be asked to go in the wake of a sting operation that purportedly showed him in a compromising position with three women.

The Central Government has asked for a report from the state government and knowledgeable sources here said that he may be asked to quit the post following severe embarrassment to the Congress party.

Tirumala, December 26: Bhaja Govindam, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Bhagavannama Sankeerthana Yagnam, will be conducted in all the temples across the state on the auspicious day of ‘Vaikunta Ekadasi’slated on December 28, TTD Chairman DK Audikesavulu Naidu said.

After releasing the posters of Bhaja Govindam at Asthana Mandapam at a function here, the Chairman yesterday said that the TTD would distribute Srivari Mahaprasadam, Pusthaka Prasadam, Ammavari sacred Kumkuma and Akshinthulu to the devotees on the auspicious day.

Hyderabad, December 26: Leaders of Telugu Desam Party belonging to the Telangana region today formed a new body called Telangana Sadhana Samithi (TSS) to campaign for a separate state.

TDP politburo member Nagam Janardhana Reddy will be the convenor of TSS while senior leaders Mandava Venkateswara Rao, M Narasimhulu, E Dayakar Rao, T Devender Goud and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy will be the members.

The TDP, earlier in the day, decided to walk out of the Telangana Joint Action Committee and decided to carry out the struggle for a separate state on its own.

Hyderabad, December 26: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu has warned the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) against targeting party leaders and their properties, saying such actions would not be tolerated anymore.

Addressing a media conference, Mr. Naidu blamed the TRS largely for the attacks on senior party MLA, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, and others at Osmania University and targeting of houses and business establishments of the party leaders, M. A. Saleem, P. Chandrasekhar, Talasani Srinivas Yadav and K. Rammohan Rao in and around Hyderabad.