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.
Vijayawada, 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.
Hyderabad, December 23: Leaders of all regions — Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema — are waiting with bated breath for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement on the partitioning of the State.
It will be a truly unenviable task for whoever has been entrusted with drafting the announcement. They will have a terribly hard time of it, trying to cushion the blow for any particular region.
Hyderabad, December 23: Stepping up pressure on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao on Tuesday claimed that over 100 legislators from Telangana, cutting across party lines, were ready to resign if the Central Government backtracked on separate statehood to the region.
KCR, as Rao is popularly known, said all MPs from the region had left for Delhi with their resignation letters in their pocket. Telangana region sends 17 of the state’s total 42 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
Washington, December 23: Encouraged by the success of the poverty alleviation project of Andhra Pradesh, the World Bank today announced financing of another US$100 million to the state for improving efficiency and effectiveness of the programme.
Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project, since its inception in 2003, has raised incomes of some 10 million rural women, the World Bank said today.
“This programme has had a remarkable impact on the lives of the rural poor in Andhra Pradesh,” Roberto Zagha, World Bank country director for India, said.
Hyderabad, December 23: Normal life continued to remain paralyse for the 12th day on Tuesday in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions as bandhs, protest rallies, and indefinite fast agitations continued in protest against Centre’s decision to set in motion the process for formation of separate Telangana state
New Delhi,December 22: The Congress and the government headed by it appear to have been caught in a cleft with Telangana MPs today stepping up pressure and warning of “serious repercussions” if the decision on separate statehood is “diluted”.
Patna, December 22: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Tuesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into an alleged Rs.4,000-crore scam in the Bihar State Electricity Board.
“It is a serious issue, there should be a CBI probe into the Rs.4,000-crore scam in the BSEB (Bihar Electricity State Board) in the full knowledge of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,” Lalu Prasad said at a press conference here at the official residence of his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi.
Hyderabad, December 22: Agitations in support of a united Andhra Pradesh and for a separate Telangana continued across the state today with protesters resorting to fasts, road blockades and demonstrations.
Educational institutions in Prakasam, Visakhapatnam, Anantapur and Kadapa districts remained closed after Joint Action Committee, a body of student unions, gave a shutdown call.
Ruling Congress had called a bandh in Chittoor and Dharmavaram in Anantapur district in support of its demand for ‘Samaikandhra Pradesh’ (unified Andhra Pradesh).
Kannur, Dec 22: Tension prevailed in parts of the politically sensitive district as three motorbikes and an autorikshaw were set ablaze in a fresh spate of attacks by rival Indian Union Muslim League and CPI-M workers, police said today.
Two motorbikes owned by CPI-M loyalists were set on fire near Payyanur in the district today while another two-wheeler and an autorikshaw were torched by unidentified persons at Chapparapadavu near Taliparamba late last night, leading to tension in the politically sensitive district, they said.
Guntur(AP), December 21: The police today forcibly shifted TDP leaders on hunger strike for a united Andhra Pradesh to the Government General Hospital here.
The TDP leaders are former Home Minister K Siva Prasad Rao, TDP MLAs – P Pulla Rao and G V Anjaneyulu.
When TDP leaders resisted the police, there was a scuffle and the police overpowered them and took them to hospital.
In the hospital, the leaders, whose fast entered the seventh day, prevented doctors from administering them saline.
Hyderabad, December 21: Protest rallies and shutdowns by supporters of ‘unified Andhra Pradesh’ continued in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions for the 11th consecutive day today.
The united state supporters organised ‘bandh’ in Kadapa, Ananthapur and Chittoor Districts while about 62,586 activists, students and others participated in agitation programmes in 900 places in 14 districts of coastal and Rayalaseema regions, police said.
Hyderabad, December 21: The Andhra Pradesh High Court today dismissed a habeas corpus writ petition filed by the wife of Vijaywada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, who dramatically escaped from a hospital only to surface in another here.
The petitioner, Padma, contended that her husband, a Congress MP, was untraceable and his whereabouts were not known since last evening. She alleged the police might have taken him to an undisclosed destination.
New Delhi, December 21: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today has promised a decision by tomorrow to “bring things in order” in Andhra Pradesh where two regions have witnessed protests on the Telangana issue, a senior MP has claimed. “He (PM) said that he understands that it is a grave situation.
Vijayawada, December 21: Andhra Pradesh government today said it had no objection to Congress MP L Rajagopal, who escaped from the Government Hospital here, being admitted to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad as desired by him.
“We are all worried about him. His family members and well-wishers said he wanted to be admitted to NIMS. We have no objection to that. We appeal to him to contact us immediately,” state Animal Husbandry Minister K Parthasarathi told reporters here.
Vijayawada, December 21: The fasting Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, who shocked the police machinery by “disappearing” from the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada on Sunday night, succeeded in getting the government concede his demand for shifting him to the super speciality Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad.
Vijayawada, Dec 21: Police are on the look out for Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, who escaped from a city hospital where he was admitted after being brought from a hunger strike site over the Telangana issue.
The Vijayawada MP on Sunday night walked out of the hospital room and got into a waiting car as hundreds of Congress workers mobbed the 300 police personnel and facilitated his exit from the hospital.
Mr. Rajagopal, who was in the Government General Hospital for three days, was insistent that he be admitted to the NIMS Hospital in Hyderabad, police said.
Kadapa (AP), December 20: Congress MLC Y S Vivekananda Reddy, brother of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, continued his indefinite hunger strike at a hospital here on the sixth day.
Vivekananda Reddy, who has been shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) after his health showed signs of weakness, continued his fast for a unified state.
Congress MLAs — Adinarayana Reddy and Srikant Reddy — also continued their fast on the fourth day. As many as 16 others were also holding fast at Kadapa in support of the united state.
Kadapa, December 20: MLC YS Vivekananda Reddy who had been on fast-untodeath for Samaikyandhra for the past five days, was arrested and shifted to RIMS Hospital today.
Tension prevailed at the fast camp when activists of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) prevented the police from arresting Reddy. Ignoring his pleas that he was well and he himself would surrender if his health condition deteriorates, the police took Reddy into custody and shifted him to hospital. However, Reddy continued his fast in the hospital.
Warangal. December 20: The Telangana Joint Action Committee comprising nearly 30 associations resumed relay hunger strike today at the College Centre in Hanamkonda demanding that a BIll on Telangana be introduced in the Assembly.
The JAC took up relay hunger strike November 29 in protest against consideration of Hyderabad as Free Zone and demanding formation of separate State.
Kaadapa, December 20: Samaikyandhra agitators organised a rail roko in the district from 6 am to 6 pm today disrupting train services. Several trains were detained at Rajampet, Kadapa, Kamalapuram, Yerraguntla and Muddanur in the 170- km Kodur – Kondapuram section.
Mumbai-Kanyakumari, Venkatadri, Rayalaseema and Jayanthi Express trains were running several hours behind schedule. Goods trains were also detained at Kadapa, Yerraguntla and other places.
Hyderabad, December 20: Asserting that the Centre has taken a decision on separate Telangana State only after taking Opposition parties into confidence, senior Telangana Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao today called upon the agitating students of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions to pull up leaders like N Chandrababu Naidu of the TDP and PRP chief Chiranjeevi during their visit to the districts.
“Criticising Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is wrong since she has taken the decision after taking the opinion of Andhra leaders,’’ he noted.
Hyderabad, December 20: The Andhra Pradesh government led by Rosaiah on Saturday took a first step towards a major reshuffle of bureaucracy by transferring eight senior IAS officers.
The reshuffle has been long overdue and was repeatedly put off as the government was caught in one crisis after the other in the last three months.
Kadapa, December 20: Samaikyandhra agitators organised a rail roko in the district from 6 am to 6 pm today disrupting train services. Several trains were detained at Rajampet, Kadapa, Kamalapuram, Yerraguntla and Muddanur in the 170- km Kodur – Kondapuram section.
Mumbai-Kanyakumari, Venkatadri, Rayalaseema and Jayanthi Express trains were running several hours behind schedule. Goods trains were also detained at Kadapa, Yerraguntla and other places.