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TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy had launched YSR Congress Party as he was denied chief minister’s post.

Addressing the people during his ‘Vastunna Meekosam’ padayatra in the district on Thursday, the TDP chief tried to frighten the people by stating that they would also go to jail if they voted for the YSR Congress. He reminded the people that one judge himself had said that Jagan had robbed Rs 1 lakh crores and added that through that comment of the judge, one could understand the severity of his crimes.

The presence of the Saudi Arabia envoy has kicked up the speculation of rekindling Congress ties with Minorities but the wound seems to take more time to heal.

The ambassador of Saudi Arabia Dr Saud Mohammed Ali Sati who held discussion with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday, was joined for lunch by leaders of various political parties, the elite and intelligentsia of minorities at the residence of former minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir at Jubilee Hills.

Even as many contentious issues like Telangana are renting the air, there are strong indications of early polls and major political parties are sharpening their arsenal and strategies to keep pace with the developments.

For Congress the success in cooperative polls comes as a shot in the arm and is rejuvenated and looks like going for the kill by announcing direct polls to test its fortunes ahead of the polls which are likely to announce any time after the budget session, beginning next month.

A host of Congress leaders today called on Dr P Shankar Rao at a corporate hospital, where he is recuperating.

Prominent among those who called on him include, minister K Jana Reddy, MP Vivek former minister Peddireddy Ramchandra Reddy and enquired about his health.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had earlier ordered an inquiry into the way in which police allegedly manhandled him while taking him into custody for questioning.

The East Godavari district administration in Andhra Pradesh was on Wednesday forced to postpone a public hearing over setting up of a coal-based power plant in a village following opposition by some local residents.

The public hearing at Dontamuru village in the district was marred by tremendous opposition by some of those who gathered there.

Raising slogans against the move to set up the coal-based power plant by a private company, the protesters alleged that it would cause massive environmental damage.

Taking serious objection to N Chandrababu Naidu’s remarks, YSR Congress has said that the party has full faith in the legal system and brushed aside his allegation that TDP is being pressed to move no trust move only to strike a deal with Congress.

Application forms for the Haj 2013 were issued this morning by Minister for Minorities Welfare, Wakf and Urdu Academy Syed Mohammed Ahmadullah at Haj House Nampally.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmadullah said the State government and the State Haj Committee would provide all facilities to the Haj pilgrims of the State. He said this year the Haj Committee of India has made it mandatory for all the Muslims to perform Haj only once in a life time and as per that decision the forms would be accepted from those persons who did not perform Haj earlier.

Uneasy calm prevails on the Osmania University campus on the eve of Governor and Chancellor ESL Narasimhan’s visit on Thursday to participate in the 79th convocation of the University.

Tense atmosphere prevails on the campus as the PDSU called for bandh on Thursday in protest against the Governor’s visit. It also warned that it would not allow the Governor to visit the campus to participate in the convocation.

The governor ESL Narasimhan had to yield to the recommendation of the Chief Minister by appointing the same persons whom he had rejected earlier as Information Commissioners.

When the government sent some names for appointment as Information Commissioners, the governor rejected four names as they were all politically connected persons, which was against the norms. He sent the file back, directing the government to make alternative suggestions. But the Chief Minister once again sent the same names for appointment and the governor had to oblige.

With the Mayor Majid Hussain abruptly adjourning indefinitely the Special Budget Session of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation on Wednesday, the TDP and BJP corporators squatted in the Mayor’s Conference Hall in protest. Besides, several woman corporators laid a siege to the chamber of the Mayor.

Estranged former minister Dr P. Shanker Rao’s daughter P. Sushmitha on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Musheerabad police against Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy alleging that he had made the police to arrest her father by registering cases as her father had refused to withdraw case filed against the Chief Minister with regard to Red Sanders smuggling.

The Begum Bazaar Police have submitted to the High Court that they had filed a charge-sheet against TNGOs’ Union former president Swamy Goud with regard to the TNGOs’ Housing Society issue.

The Gujarat High Court today asked the state government whether it had taken steps in the past 20 years to ascertain social and educational backwardness of Muslims and other minorities of the state.

The question was raised by the five-judge full bench of the court during the hearing on PILs over the central government’s scheme for pre-metric scholarship to students belonging to minority communities.

–Agencies

Pakistan is a “fake” country which was created artificially by the Britishers who started the “bogus two-nation theory”, Press Council of India chairman Justice (retd) Markandey Katju said here on Tuesday.

The former Supreme Court judge was confident that in next 15-20 years India and Pakistan would reunite and a strong, powerful, secular and modern minded government would come to power.

He condemned the recent war hysteria created by media in the wake of beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistanis troops in a cross LoC attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Monday, the Commissioner’s Task Force of East Zone raided “Global Overseas Educational Consultancy” at Himayath Nagar and nabbed three persons for doing illegal Visa processing work by preparing fake documents which are required to be produced by the visa applicants in support of their applications at the time of interview and to procure VISA to U.S.A, U.K. and Canada.

The accused were identified as Gengu Sandeep, Sandadi Srinivas Reddy and Akula Srinivas. The trio and the seized documents were handed over to the Narayanguda PS.

Police today caned Telangana protagonists in retaliation to the stone pelting by them during K. Neeraj Bharadwaj’s funeral procession.

It may be recalled that yesterday Bharadwaj, a student of WITS College committed suicide as he was saddened over the inordinate delay on separate Telangana State.

Telangana Political JAC Chairman Prof. Kodandaram and Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao participated in Bharadwaj’s funeral procession paying last tributes to Neeraj at Mahathma Gandhi Memorial Hospital here.

Former captain Mohammad Azharuddin has expressed his desire to coach the India cricket team in future if the BCCI approaches him with an offer.

“Whatever little cricket I have played, I have learnt a lot and I would like to impart those skills to young players. It is up to the board (BCCI) to use me in the best way. I would certainly like to be involved with Indian cricket,” Azhar said.

Activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyardhi Parishat and Telangana Rashtra Samithi Vidyardhi wing on Monday stormed the house of BC Welfare Minister Baswaraju Saraiah demanding his resignation.

They shouted slogans demanding that the minister quit immediately as the Centre was dragging its feet on Telangana. The students and police personnel pushed each other. When the students broke wind shields of a police jeep, the cops swung their lathis and dispersed the irate students.

A gunman of Congress MLA Kottapalli Subbarayudu was arrested by the police, for filming secretly a woman taking bath in the guesthouse of APTransco on Monday.

According to the information, the woman guest observed that the gunman Siva Kumar was secretly watching her while taking bath and was shooting it with his mobile phone.

Police have taken the gunman into custody on a complaint from the woman and her husband.

State BJP president G. Kishan Reddy here on Monday announced that his party would not contest in the North Telangana Graduates Legislative Council seat.

Speaking to mediapersons, Kishan Reddy said his party has decided not to field its candidate against former president of Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers’ Union Swamy Goud. He also announced that his party would extend its support to Lakshma Reddy in the North Telangana Teachers constituency.

Congress MP from Vijayawada Lagadapati Rajagopal on Monday exuded confidence that the State would not be divided as there was no consensus among the people of the three regions of the State. Curiously, at the same time, he admitted that the ruling party was not against creation of Telangana State.

Two Palamur laborers were buried alive and another escaped from jaws of death miraculously when the compound wall of a dilapidated building crashed on them in P&T Colony of Dilshuknagar here this morning.

The mishap took place while the labourers were digging earth for construction of a cellar beside the old building. While the three laborers were on the job, a wall of the adjoining building suddenly collapsed trapping the trio.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has decided to register a criminal case against the owners of the building at P&T Colony of Dilsukhnagar whose wall collapse killed two labourers while another was injured.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy would leave for Delhi tomorrow to meet the central leadership and is expected to hold a discussion on the Telangana demand.

Reddy is leaving for the national capital by a morning flight, official sources said tonight.

The Chief Minister might take up the Telangana issue with the top leaders of the Congress and the Centre.

–Agencies

A sixty-year old man allegedly raped a 19-year old before dumping her at a deserted place from where she was rescued in an unconscious state two days later, police said today.

A contractor, H Abubakar of Hagaribommanahalli, was arrested today on a complaint from the parents of the girl, who has been hospitalised and is yet to regain consciousness.

–Agencies