In a strong counter to YSR Congress party chief and Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s observation that his party would grow like a holy plant (Thulasi), TDP senior leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu said that YSR Congress party is a weed and would not last longer.
On the occasion of World Health Day, the Art of Living Foundation will be conducting ‘Yogathon’ on April 7 at 34 centres in the City, between 6 and 7.30 am and from 5 to 6.30 pm in the city.
PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana on Tuesday denied that there were differences between him and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Botcha said that there was no truth in reports that they have serious differences. He also denied that he had written any letter to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, making complaints against the Chief Minister, as was reported by a section of the media.
East Godavari political veteran Hari Rama Jogaiah, who was firing salvos at megastar-turned politician K. Chiranjeevi, has said that the former actor has lost confidence of the people.
Speaking to the media here on Tuesday, Jogiah ridiculed the Congress party’s plans to use Chiranjeevi as its star campaigner in the ensuing by-elections and 2014 general elections. He said that people had not trusted him even in the 2009 elections, when he promised to become chief minister and bring a clean administration.
In the backdrop of media speculations about the simmering differences between Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana, former PCC chief and MLC D Srinivas on Tuesday met party supremo Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janapath and believed to have apprised her of party affairs in the State.
TRS Legislature Party leader Eetela Rajender has warned Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy that he would meet the same fate as the TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu if he did not rollback the power tariff he had hiked.
AICC President Sonia Gandhi apprised herself of the political situation in Andhra Pradesh in the wake of the Telangana issue flaring up again and also the raging bitter feud between Chief Minister n. Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana, who are threatening the very survival of the ruling Congress in the State.
The Lok Satta Party on Tuesday welcomed the newly elected CPI General Secretary Survaram Sudhakar Reddy’s support for replacement of the first-past-the-post electoral system by a proportional representation (PR) system.
In a statement, Lok Satta Party President Dr Jayaprakash Narayan said that the first-past-the-post system has led to vote buying and the rise of money power to garner the marginal vote for capturing as many seats as possible. It has resulted in unbridled corruption and generation of black money on a large scale.
Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy on Tuesday asked Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to review the decision on increasing the power tariff.
Talking to reporters at his chambers in D-Block of the State Secretariat, the minister said that since the Energy portfolio was being handled by the Chief Minister himself, he should review the hike in power tariff. However, he said that it was for the first time since Congress returned to power in 2004 that the power tariff has been increased based on the recommendations of the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Authority.
The Telugu Desam Party on Tuesday asked YSR Congress party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to disclose the sources of funds which he used to set up powers plants in several States.
Talking to reporters at NTR Trust Bhavan, TDP Deputy Floor leader Gali Muddu Krishnamma Naidu alleged that Jagan and his family members were making an investment of about Rs 60,000 crore to set up 12,000 MW power plants at Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Haryana. He said if Jagan did not indulge in corruption, then he should disclose as to how he mobilised such huge funds for the power plants.
The Telugu Desam Party on Tuesday accused the State Government of putting the financial burden on the common man by way of increasing the power tariff, LPG prices and Service Tax.
Addressing a press conference at NTR Trust Bhavan, TDP MLA R Chandrasekhar Reddy said that the State and Central Governments have been extorting money from the common man using different technical terms. He said instead of finding alternate means of overcoming the financial losses of the Energy Department, the State Government simply agreed for a steep hike in power tariff.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Tuesday demanded that the State Government roll-back the hike in the power tariff immediately.
Talking to reporters at Vidhyut Soudha at Khairtabad, where about 500 TRS activists staged a dharna against the power hike, TRS floor leader Etala Rajender said that the increase in power tariff has hit the common man who is already burdened with inflation and increasing prices of essential commodities. He said that TDP did not return to power after it affected a hike in power tariff and Congress too would face a similar fate if it fails to roll back the hike.
Chief Electoral Officer Banwar Lal on Tuesday suggested that the Police Department increase the reinforcements in the faction affected areas, which are going to by-elections in the State.
Talking to media persons after having the Darshan of Kameswari Devi Temple at Mahanandi in Kurnool district, the CEO said that police department should strengthen its network in the faction-hit villages of Rayalaseema region before the by-elections. He also called upon the electorate to exercise their franchise in a free and fair manner in the ensuing by-elections.
One million non-Muslim women in the United States will be wearing hijabs in support of Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi immigrant brutally killed at her home in March.
Many non-Muslim women in the United States have posted photos of themselves wearing a headscarf on “One Million Hijabs for Shaima Alawadi,” which is a recently created webpage on Facebook.
The Facebook page had about 10,000 likes on April 2.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday alleged that the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was “facilitating” crime and corruption in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is unfortunate that UPA government is not taking cognisance of the grave charges of corruption and crimes in J&K.
They seem in a way to be facilitating corruption in the state,” Mufti told reporters here.
In the wake of Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna’s statement on Haj subsidy, BJP on Tuesday demanded that the government should make it clear if it was seriously thinking of withdrawing it.
“Till the recent Assembly elections, this government was talking about religion-based reservation but now a senior minister is saying that Haj subsidy should be withdrawn. This shows that there is definitely a change of heart somewhere,” BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
A special CBI court in Indore on Tuesday extended till April 11 the judicial custody of prime accused Zahida Pervez and three others in connection with the RTI activist Shehla Masood murder case.
The Bhopal-based interior designer Zahida, her assistant Saba Farooqui and two alleged shooters Shaikb ‘Danger’ and Irfan were produced before the special CBI court of judicial magistrate Dr Shubhra Singh.
An Indian American student was among the seven killed by a disgruntled college student who carried out an execution type killing spree in a religious college in California that also left an Indian American girl injured.
Tshering Rinzing Bhutia, 38, of San Francisco, was killed when the gunman stole his car outside the school on Tuesday morning.
Bhutia was born in Sikkim and lived alone in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood and worked nights cleaning terminals in city’s airport, Oakland Tribune reported.
Four persons, including a policeman, were injured in a clash between two rival groups of people during Ram Navami immersion at Par Nawada in Bihar’s Nawada district tonight, police sources said.
The clash broke out over immersion of Ram Navami flag as two rival groups hurled stones, the sources said.
One police man, a mediaperson and two others were injured in the clash, sources said.
The situation was tense but under control. Patrolling was intensified as heavy reinforcements reached the spot.
In a setback to Lanco group which was developing Rs 7,200 crore real estate project here, the Andhra Pradesh High Court today refused to entertain a petition over the ownership of land on which the project was coming up saying the matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Wakf tribunal.
Fierce clashes erupted today as Syria’s regime sent reinforcements into rebel areas despite a truce pledge, and the UN said it was rushing a team to Damascus to pave the way for peace monitors.
The surge in violence killed at least 29 people, more than half of them civilians in north and central Syria, and
included a string of arson attacks on homes, activists and monitors said.
It came a day after peace envoy Kofi Annan told the UN Security Council that President Bashar al-Assad had given
Actress Salma Hayek says she likes to dress to impress her billionaire husband Franois-Henri Pinault.
The ‘Grown Ups’ star, who married Pinault in 2009, said she enjoys trying out new looks in a bid to catch her other half`s eye, Contactmusic reported.
“If you`re in love with someone, you always want to conquer them anew. Even if we don`t go out, I like to look nice for him.
“He inspires me. There are men who don`t notice what you`re wearing, and that`s cool. But when you make an effort, Francois appreciates it so much,” she said.
Back into top flight cricket after being sidelined for two years with a back injury, Indian pacer Irfan Pathan considers his second innings as God’s gift and says he is “really happy” with his performance.
“I consider this as a second innings, a gift of God. Not many people come back after injury. I’ve been able to come back. God has given me a second chance to fulfill my dream,” Pathan told media persons here on the sidelines of IPL side Delhi Daredevil’s practice session at the Eden Gardens.
Back into top flight cricket after being sidelined for two years with a back injury, Indian pacer Irfan Pathan considers his second innings as God’s gift and says he is “really happy” with his performance.
“I consider this as a second innings, a gift of God. Not many people come back after injury. I’ve been able to come back. God has given me a second chance to fulfill my dream,” Pathan told media persons here on the sidelines of IPL side Delhi Daredevil’s practice session at the Eden Gardens.
The Gurgaon administration Tuesday banned hookah bars in the entire district, a Haryana government spokesman said here.
“District Magistrate P.C. Meena has today (Tuesday) banned Hookah bars in the district. He has invoked Section 144 of Cr PC 1973 for this purpose,” he said.
The orders issued in Gurgaon said that Hookah bars were serving tobacco molasses containing nicotine which is injurious to health of the people, especially the college students and youth.
The ban comes into effect with immediate effect, Meena said.