NDA treating poor as untouchables, alleges Andhra Pradesh CM

VIJAYAWADA: Accusing the NDA leaders of practising untouchability against the poor, YSRC president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy found fault with Home Minister Amit Shahs comments on the introduction of English medium education in government schools. This alliance of capitalists cannot tolerate children being taught in English in government schools. They want English for their children, but not for the poor. This is nothing but double standards. We are fighting against this ideology which is biased against the poor. This is another form of untouchability, Jagan remarked. Addressing a public meeting at Rajampet on Thursday, he said voting for TDP and its allies will result in children losing the chance of pursuing studies in English medium. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that only double engine sarkar can ensure development of the State, he sought to know why the TDP, JSP and BJP combine, who won in 2014, could not fulfil their poll promises. He said PM Modi and Shah have failed to respond to the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh on the Special Category Status. CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during a public meeting at Kalyandurg | Express Will strive to protect honour of Muslims: Jagan The BJP leaders did not make a mention of SCS, but delivered speeches to satisfy TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, foster son Pawan Kalyan (Jana Sena president), and Vadinamma (BJP AP unit chief D Purandeswari), he alleged. Stating that local leaders have been seeking the establishment of a medical college in Rajampeta, Jagan assured the people that he will take steps to establish the 18th medical college in the constituency during his second term. If you want to see the completion of Annamayya Project and Galeru Nagari canal till Railway Kodur, you should choose YSRC, he told people. Declare support for Muslim quota before PM Earlier at a public meeting in Kurnool, Jagan reiterated his commitment to protect the interests of Minorities and charged the TDP with aligning with the BJP although it is opposed to reservations based on religion. Further, he demanded Naidu to declare his support for Muslim quota while sharing the stage with PM Modi. On one hand, Naidu has aligned with the BJP, and on the other, he is wooing Muslims for votes, Jagan quipped. Asserting that the basis of giving reservation is not religion, but backwardness of Minorities, the Chief Minister said only those who are very poor in the Muslim community will be eligible for 4% reservation. I will also strive to protect the honour of Muslims on matters like CAA and NRC, he promised. He pointed out that besides giving respectable posts like Deputy Chief Minister and Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council to representatives of the Muslim community, Jagan said he has also given 4% political reservation for Muslims by allotting seven Assembly and Lok Sabha tickets to them, besides making Urdu the second official language in the State. He stressed that his government changed the course of the State by disbursing Rs 2.7 lakh crore through various DBT welfare schemes, creating 2.31 lakh government jobs, making English medium education accessible to students of poor families, empowering women and farmers, and overhauling the administration with village and ward secretariats. At Singanamala, he reiterated that schemes and reforms will continue only if YSRC is elected to power once again. Elucidating the schemes implemented by his government over the past 59 months, the Chief Minister pointed out that 99% of election promises were fulfilled, thereby bringing sanctity to the manifestos for the first time. Schemes like Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Nadu-Nedu, digitisation of class rooms, TOEFEL training from class 3, tabs to Class 8 students, Goru Mudda and introduction of bilingual text books have revolutionised the educational system, he asserted. Pointing out that his government has economically empowered self-help groups by implementing schemes like YSR Cheyutha, Aasara, Sunna Vaddi, Kapu Nestham, EBC Nestham, he said 31 lakh house sites were distributed and 22 lakh houses were constructed. He added that the implementation of schemes like Rythu Bharosa, free crop insurance, input subsidy, nine-hour free power supply and RBKs have empowered the farmers. Jagan accused Naidu of cheating people on the promise of loan waiver to farmers and SHGs, disbursal of Rs 25,000 on the birth of a girl child, allotment of three-cent house sites to the poor, job for every household and Rs 2,000 monthly stipend for the unemployed.

Yellow alert in Telangana till May 12, rains likely to intensify on polling day

HYDERABAD: People were caught off guard by sudden rains on Thursday afternoon, with many areas in Hyderabad witnessing traffic snarls. Areas such as Shaikpet, Tolichowki, Rajendranagar, Attapur, Nanal Nagar, Mehdipatnam, Masab Tank, Lakdi ka Pul and Gachibowli experienced heavy traffic jams in the evening hours after a short spell of rains. The highest rainfall was recorded in Bhadradri Kothagudem at 62.3 mm, followed by Nagarkurnool at 27 mm, as per a Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) report. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that light to moderate rains and thunderstorms were also experienced at isolated places in the Adilabad, Jogulamba Gadwal, Kamareddy, Khammam, Kumarambheem Asifabad, Mahabubabad, Medak, Mulugu, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Rajanna Sircilla, Siddipet, Suryapet and Wanaparthy districts. The trough from Maharashtra to Karnataka will exert its influence and a yellow alert has been issued in the state till May 12 for thunderstorms and lightning. An orange alert for May 13 was also issued as rains are likely to intensify, accompanied by lightning, thunderstorms and gusty winds around 4050 kmph. The maximum temperature recorded in the state was 43.6C at Nizamabad, while the highest at Hyderabad was 41.3C at Quthbullapur. The city is expected to have cloudy sky, with a high probability of light rains or thunderstorms in the evening or night. Maximum and minimum temperatures are anticipated to be around 37C and 27C, respectively, over the next 48 hours.

Jagan Says TD-BJP Alliance Will Hurt Muslims

Kurnool/Anantapur : Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that N. Chandrababu Naidus alliance with the BJP would distance the Telugu Desam from Muslims. Chandrababu Naidu is with the BJP, which wants to remove 4 per cent Muslim reservation. At the same time, he comes up with a new drama to seek minority votes. Like a chameleon, Babu changes colour. The reservation for Muslim reservations will remain, and the YSRC stands by it, he said. The 4 per cent reservation for Muslims is not given based on religion. The reservation does not list the higher castes in the Muslim community like Pathan or Syeds. This reservation is for the backwards among the Muslims. People have to note that every religion has a BC, an OC category. It is unacceptable and morally wrong to view minorities through a discriminatory lens. These reservations will prevail at all costs, the Chief Minister asserted. Whether it is Muslim reservation, NRC, CAA, or any other sentiments of minorities, the YSRC would always stand as a steadfast pillar, supporting their dignity and honour. Schemes like Shadi Thofa (marriage assistance), declaring Urdu as a second language, the 4 per cent political reservation for minorities are there, and a minority MLA serves as the deputy chief minister in the YSRC government, he stated. I have appointed a minority leader as the vice president of the legislative council. Out of the 175 seats, 4 per cent of the seats were given to minorities as political reservations. Can Chandrababu ever say that he did any good for the minority community in his life, asked Jagan Mohan Reddy. The Chief Minister addressed YSRCs election meetings in Kalyandurg and Rajampet. In Kalyandurg, he said, Chandrababu did not bring any scheme to a poor person in his whole life. Every time he got power, the poor did not gain. Chandrababu simply looted the state wealth and shared the loot. During elections, he utilises this money to pay Rs.2,000 to Rs.4,000 per person and buys votes. I urge the people not to reject Chandrababu's cash handouts! Because that money belongs to us! However, when you vote, vote for the party that did good to you. Addressing the people in Rajampet, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, The people of AP were expecting the announcement of special category status for the state at the public meetings of the NDA. But only disappointment prevailed among those awaiting the news. The alliance leaders are silent on the state's requirements. Amit Shah visited AP for the election campaign with TD and the JSPthe three-party alliance with a feudal mindset cannot tolerate the fact that English medium is introduced to government schools. They want English for their children but not for the poor, the CM said.

Nagarkurnool LS seat: Madiga to decide fate of candidates in high-stake battle

Hyderabad: Home to the mighty Nallamala forests and the confluence of Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, Nagarkurnool is a key Lok Sabha segment, as it shares its borders with both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The feudal stronghold over Gadwal on one side and the revolutionary struggles of the Nallamala on the other factor in the socio-political Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Heavy Rain Forecast for Rayalaseema on Polling Day

Visakhapatnam : Heavy rainfall is likely to lash Rayalaseema region on May 13, the day Andhra Pradesh goes to elections. Moderate rain or thundershowers are likely in coastal Andhra Pradesh and some parts of north coastal Andhra on that day, the weather office said. There would be respite to heat waves in AP for over a week. An IMD report said Wednesdays trough from northeast Rajasthan to south interior Karnataka now ran from above the cyclonic circulation over central Maharashtra to south interior Karnataka, across north interior Karnataka, and extends upto 1.5km above mean sea level. Under its influence, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds with speed upto 30-40kmph are likely at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema from Friday. The thunderstorms would continue till May 13. The report said AP got relief from the heat conditions as temperature fell by two to three degrees Celsius in many regions including the hotbed districts of Rayalaseema-Nandyal, Kurnool, Kadapa and Tirupathi. Only Tirupati recorded 40.1 degrees Celsius while the average temperature remained at 36 degrees in the other regions. Visakhapatnam registered the lowest temperature of 33.7 degrees Celsius. Senior scientist at IMD Amaravati, S Karunasagar, said parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh received an average of 10cm rainfall each during the last three days with the highest rainfall of 12cm in Vemagiri, near Rajahmundry. The state might not experience heat waves for another 10 days, he said.

Naidu allied with BJP which wants to abolish Muslim reservation: Jagan Reddy

Kurnool: YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday said that while TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu likes to associate with BJP which wants to do away with the four percent reservation for backward class Muslims in Andhra Pradesh, his government would maintain the quota. The ruling party chief made this observation during a Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

7 Day IMD Forecast for Telangana

IMD said very heavy rainfall would occur in north Telangana on Monday. Nasa also said that cloud top temperatures were as low as -53 degrees Celsius and had potential for heavy rainfall. (Photo: DC/File) IMD said very heavy rainfall would occur in north Telangana on Monday. Nasa also said that cloud top temperatures were as low as -53 degrees Celsius and had potential for heavy rainfall. (Photo: DC/File) Hyderabad: The IMD Hyderabad center has issued a weather forecast for the next seven days starting today. May 9 (Thursday): Light to moderate rain or thundershowers likely at isolated places in Telangana. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are likely in Nizamabad, Jagtial, Rajanna Siricilla, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Yadadri Bhongir, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, and Kamareddy. May 10 (Friday):Light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places across Telangana. Warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) in Adilabad, KomaramBheem Asifabad, and Nirmal. May 11 (Saturday):Light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Telangana. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) likely in Nizamabad, Peddapally, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mahabubabad, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Janagaon, Siddipet, Yadadri Bhuvangiri, Sangareddy, and Medak. May 12 (Sunday): Light to moderate rain or thundershowers expected at a few places in Telangana. Warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) in Siddipet, Yadadri Bhuvangiri, Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Medchal Malkajigiri, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, and Jogulamba Gadwal. May 13 (Monday): Light to moderate rain or thundershowers likely at isolated places in Telangana, with heavy rain possible in isolated areas. Expect thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) at isolated places. May 14 (Tuesday): Light to moderate rain or thundershowers expected at isolated places in Telangana. May 15 (Wednesday):Light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Telangana.

Forgive BRS, help party win in Nagarkurnool: KTR to voters

KT Rama Rao seeks support for RS Praveen Kumar, acknowledging voters' past choices and urging forgiveness for party mistakes. Praising Praveen Kumar's work ethic and dedication to public service, KTR emphasizes his transition from government service to politics.

Telangana: Case against Krishank Manne is frivolous, says KT Rama Rao

HYDERABAD: BRS working president KT Rama Rao claimed the case against BRS social media convener Krishank Manne was frivolous. It should not have been Krishank serving jail time, but Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for posting a fake circular, he added. Meanwhile, the hearing for his bail was deferred to Thursday. Rama Rao met the social media convener at Chanchalguda Jail on Wednesday. Addressing the media later, he said Krishank is unjustly targeted in a baseless case, enduring harassment for a week now. The chief minister, who is responsible for fabricating the circular, roams freely, while the individual who shared the original ones languishes in jail. This highlights the governments flawed practices. I challenge the chief minister: if Krishanks circular is proven false, I will accept imprisonment. Will he do the same if his circular is debunked? The former minister also criticised Revanth for acting arrogantly, fuelled by his position of power, and warned of consequences. Expressing solidarity, Rama Rao mentioned that during his meeting with Krishank, he observed the latters resilience despite the difficult situation. He demanded that the government apologise and release Krishank. He challenged Revanth to present both circulars to experts for scrutiny to determine the authentic one and the culpable party. BJP conspiring to change Constitution BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was conspiring to change the Constitution of India. Addressing a street corner meeting at Kalwakurthy under the Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha constituency, where RS Praveen Kumar is contesting on a pink party ticket, he accused the BJP of doing politics in the name of religion and seeking votes in the name of Hindu gods.

Ill make panyam a model segment: Gouru Charitha Reddy

DP nominee Gouru Charitha Reddy has said her focus will be on combating land grabbing and addressing other perennial problems of Panyam Assembly constituency if she is elected. In an interview with K Madhu Sudhakar, Gouru Charitha Reddy asserted that her main aim is to save the people of Panyam from the corrupt practices and rowdyism of sitting YSRC MLA Katasani Rambhupal Reddy What are pressing problems of Panyam? The Assembly constituency comprises Orvakal, Kallur and 16 divisions of Kurnool Municipal Corporation, Gadivemula and Panyam mandals in the erstwhile undivided Kurnool district. The 16 divisions in KMC are facing drinking water crisis. The other mandals are also facing irrigation and drinking water problem. The YSRC government has neglected HNSS, Gorukallu, KC Canal, Velagamanu and other irrigation projects, resulting in several water crisis in Panyam. Large scale unemployment is also a major issue due to industrial backwardness of the constituency. What is your development agenda? I have prepared a special agenda to develop Panyam as a model constituency in the State by effectively utilising the available natural resources. I will focus on development of Panyam as a industrial hub, besides ensuring speedy completion of pending irrigation projects like Velagamanu and Alaganur in the district to provide water for two crops a year. What are your strengths to face Katasani? My strengths are TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidus leadership and general secretary Nara Lokeshs vision to develop the State. The tripartite alliance will ensure that the anti-incumbency vote does not split. The people who are vexed with the autocratic rule of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, are eager to teach him a fitting lesson in the elections. I have won the peoples trust with my commitment to develop the constituency. I will also focus development of neglected areas in Panyam to promote balanced growth. What are your winning chances? I am confident of achieving a landslide victory in the elections. I have been receiving an overwhelming response from the people during my election campaign in the constituency. The joint manifesto of the TDP-BJP-JSP combine is an instant hit among people. Moreover, my husband Gouru Venkata Reddy has contributed a lot to the development of Kurnool district in various capacities. Even I also served as an MLA. We will strive to solve the peoples problems, besides ensuring the development of the constituency on all fronts.

Its Reddys fight in SC reserved Nandikotkur and Kodumuru seats

KURNOOL : It is a proxy war in the two Assembly constituencies of Nandikotukur and Kodumuru, reserved for Scheduled Castes. Influential Reddy leaders in both the TDP and the YSRC are fighting the electoral battle on behalf of the actual SC candidates. In Nandikotkur, the contest, thus has become a battle between Mandra Shivananda Reddy and Byreddy Siddarth Reddy while in Kodumuru, it is between Vishnuvardhan Reddy and Harshavardhan Reddy. In Nandikotkur, Gitta Jayasurya is contesting on TDP ticket, but it is TDP Nandyal parliament constituency in-charge Shivananda Reddy who is backing him. They are making an all-out effort to secure Jayasuryas victory in the election. Ranged against him is Dr Sudheer Dhara of YSRC who has the full support of Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) Chairman Byreddy Siddarth Reddy. In Kodumuru, Kurnool Urban Development Authority (KUDA) Chairman Kotla Harshavardhan Reddy is working overtime to help YSRC candidate Adimulapu Satish win the Assembly seat. Intent on defeating the YSRC nominee, TDP in-charge Eduru Vishnuvardhan Reddy is backing party candidate Boggula Dastagiri. The powerful Reddy sponsors of the TDP and the YSRC candidates are taking care of all aspects of the campaign so much so that the real contestants have ceased to matter for all practical purposes. A political enthusiast Chandrasekhar who hails from Nandikotkur town said, Nandikotkur and Kodumuru may have been reserved for SCs. But the actual fight is between the Reddy leaders of the two parties. The elections in the two reserved Assembly constituencies appear as they are general segments.

Rowdy Sheeter Slits Throat of Rival in Nandyal

Kurnool : A rowdy sheeter, in a drunken state, savagely slit the throat of his adversary and kicked him ferociously in broad daylight in Nandyal town on Wednesday. Police said the main assailant was Chakali Madhuraj The victim was a local, Baba Fakruddin. The One Town police took four persons into custody, while Fakruddin was rushed to the Government General Hospital here for treatment. The horrifying incident was captured on social media. It showed the drunken and unconscious victim being subjected to repeated attempts at suffocation by the gang with their legs pressed against his neck. They threatened the onlookers who attempted to intervene on the main road in the town limits. Police said Chakali Madhuraj was a notorious rowdy from Bayata Peta. He was drinking liquor at Dharma wines near Pratap Theatre. An argument erupted with the bar staff over settling the bill. In a fit of rage, Chakali Madhuraj assaulted the bar staff Prashanth and Parthu with beer bottles. The bar staff ejected him from the premises. Outside, he took on Baba Fakhruddin, with whom he had an old rivalry. Baba Fakhruddin retaliated, but Chakali Madhuraj attacked him with a beer bottle in front of a crowd at Srinivasa Junction. Chakali Madhuraj attempted to use a manhole cover to hit his rival, but failing to dislodge it, he resorted to kicking Fakruddin on his head. Then, sitting on his chest, he kept delivering heavy blows on Fakhruddin. Prashant and Parthu, who had also been involved in the altercation at the bar, were admitted to the hospital for treatment. Circle inspector Chalapathi confirmed the arrest of Chakali Madhi and three others involved in the attempted murder of Fakruddin.

CM Jagan to do election campaign in 3 places today

VIJAYAWADA : Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy took a break on Wednesday from the election campaign and reviewed the partys electoral possibilities with core leaders about YSRC election campaigns. The CM would resume the election campaign on Thursday by addressing public meetings in three places - Kurnool city, Kalyanadurgam and Rajampet. YSRC general secretary Thalasila Raghuram said Jagan Mohan Reddy would conduct election campaigns in three constituencies on May 9. At 10 am, Jagan Mohan Reddy will participate in the election campaign at SV Complex Road, YSR Circle, Kurnool City under Kurnool LS constituency. Later, at 12.30 pm, he will participate in a meeting at Kalyanadurgam constituency, Kollapuramma Temple Road, in Anantapur LS constituency. Later, at 3 pm, Jagan Mohan Reddy will participate in the election meeting held at Koduru Road in Rajampet constituency under Rajampet LS. According to sources, Jagan Mohan Reddy reviewed the present political situation and the partys prospects in Assembly and LS constituencies across the state. Cautioning the leaders that only three days were left for the election campaign, he asked the partys rank and file, including coordinators, to intensify the campaign by mingling more with the masses. Regarding the YSRCs Navaratnalu Plus manifesto, the CM said only the YSRC is daringly distributing party manifesto by stressing that its government has fulfilled 99 per cent of the promises of the 2019 and more is promised under the new Navaratnalu manifesto. On Chandrababu Naidus conspiracy to stop the welfare schemes and hinder the volunteer services, Jagan Mohan Reddy said the Opposition can stop the state governments welfare schemes but not the YSRCs success in the elections. Addressing a public meeting in Ichchapuram town of Srikakulam district on Wednesday, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that, after coming to power, the YSRC government would set up a tribal university in Salur town of Parvathipuram Manyam district. He said that the cellphone connectivity is being expanded to more tribal areas in the region. Explaining the initiatives of his government, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, We deposited a whopping `2.70 lakh crore into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries without any corruption or discrimination during the last five years. We provided 2.31 lakh government jobs during this period, for the first time in the history of the state and this should be explained to the masses.

AP Employees JAC urges EC to extend postal ballot time beyond May 8

Vijayawada : The Joint Action Committee of government employees service associations in AP on Tuesday urged the election commission to extend the time for casting postal ballots beyond May 08 as certain norm deviations occurred in Anakapalli and Chilakaluripeta constituencies. JAC leaders Bopparaju Venkateswarulu, Palisetti Damodara Rao and K Ramesh Kumar sent a letter to the chief electoral officer Mukesh Meena and others, urging them to clear the ambiguity surrounding the postal ballot voting, among the employees. The employees JAC further urged the election commission to set up more counters at the postal ballot facilitation centres. Please help enhance the postal ballot voter turnout in Anakapalli, East Godavari, West Godavari, Guntur, Nandyal, Kurnool, and Sri Satya Sai parliamentary constituencies wherein only 5,000 - 6,000 voters have cast their votes. In contrast, more than 10,000 to 15,000 votes were polled in the remaining parliamentary constituencies as of May 6, it said.

Haylofts destroyed in fire during election campaign in Kurnool

Kurnool: Three haylofts were destroyed in a fire accident that erupted during an election campaign event at Madhavaram village in Velugodu mandal on Tuesday. Police reports indicate that sparks from firecrackers, used to welcome the campaign team led by Srisailam MLA Silpa Chakrapani Reddy, ignited the dry hay stored in the lofts. Fortunately, a fire tender arrived swiftly and contained the flames before further damage could occur. The Velugodu police have registered a case and are currently investigating the incident.

Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Key Factors at Play

The BJP appears to be in poll position to win the Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha constituency, now that it has heavyweight Pothuganti Ramulu and his son, Bharat Prasad in its ranks

Focus on alleviating poverty, preventing migration, says Bastipati Nagaraju

Kurnool: B. Nagaraju, a lecturer-turned-realtor, holds a postgraduate degree in chemistry. He previously served as MPTC of Panchalingala in 2021. TD has chosen him as its MP candidate from Kurnool LS seat, as he belongs to the Kuruva community, which has a dominant presence in the parliamentary constituency. Nagaraju advocates development of Kurnool LS area, while focusing on addressing water scarcity, lack of employment and migration issues. His plans include the construction of irrigation projects like Vedavati and Nagaradona, as well as the establishment of industries and educational institutions to prevent migration and boost local employment opportunities. The TD candidate believes the anti-incumbency votes will work in his favour. He is relying on the support of his community and inherent credibility of the opposition among people.

Completion of pending projects is priority, says YSRC's Ramaiah

Kurnool: Kurnool city mayor B.Y. Ramaiah, contesting from the Kurnool Lok Sabha constituency on the ruling YSRC ticket, exudes confidence about his victory. A civil engineering graduate with a postgraduate degree in law, Ramaiah feels the Kurnool area is highly underdeveloped, plagued by issues like drinking and irrigation water scarcity and lack of employment opportunities. He pointed out that annually nearly 60 per cent of agricultural labour and small farmers migrate to areas like Hyderabad, Guntur, Bellary, Chennai and Bangalore in search of livelihoods. His primary agenda is to alleviate the plight of people, especially farmers, from severe drought conditions, and create job opportunities locally. His promises include construction of irrigation projects, such as Vedavathi and Nagaradona, to address water scarcity issues. He says he has already initiated the establishment of a tomato processing unit at a cost of 12 crores near Pathikonda, which will boost the local economy.

Rains Lash AP, Lightning Kills 3

Visakhapatnam: Moderate to heavy rains accompanied by thunder and lightning struck parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema districts in Andhra Pradesh during the last 24 hours claiming three lives. However, the rains provided the much-needed reprieve from the searing heat wave that had engulfed the state since the last two weeks. Nandyal, Kurnool, Kadapa and Anantapur recorded average temperature of 42 degrees Celsius. A 41-year-old Parasa Rama Rao died on the spot when lightning struck him at Yadavalli village under Lingapalem mandal in Eluru district. Rama Rao was grazing cattle near a field when the incident took place. In another incident, lightning killed a woman Bondala Nagendramma (52) and her 25 year old daughter Y Nagarani when they were returning from a farm field at Vutukuru under Krosuru mandal of Palnadu district. A trough running from east Vidarbha to south Tamil Nadu brought rains and thunderstorms in the state on Tuesday. The system is set to bring more rains on Wednesday Normal life was thrown out of gear and more than six places reported mild water logging, with trees and power poles uprooted at few localities as heavy rain accompanied with gusty winds lashed at Rajahmundry town in East Godavari district on Tuesday. An unexpected hailstorm brought cheers to the people in a few villages under Chintapalli and Paderu mandals in ASR district. Though the rains have brought down the mercury levels by 2 to 6 degree Celsius on Tuesday, the summer rain caused damage to chili, maize, and mango crops in parts of the state. The IMD said Vemagiri in Rajahmundry recorded 12.4 cm rain, Palasa (Srikakulam district) and Palamaner (Chittoor district) recorded 6 cm rainfall each between Monday night and Tuesday morning, followed by 5 cm each in Tekkali (Srikakulam), Atmakur (Nandyal) and 4 cm in Arogyavaram (Annamayya). Parvathipuram (Manyam), Madanapalle (Annamayya), Atlur (Kadapa) and some places in the state recorded rainfall between 1 cm and 3 cm. The IMD has predicted moderate rainfall and thundershowers at few places across the state on May 8 (Wednesday) which include Chittoor, Annamayya and Tirupati districts of Rayalaseema region and Nellore. ASR and Srikakulam district of CAP will receive heavy rainfall.

Wife axes 48-year-old man to death in Telangana

Hyderabad: A 48-year-old man, who was in inebriated condition, was axed to death by his wife on Monday, May 6, in Bijinapalli mandal of Nagarkurnool district. The victim has been identified as Nakka Nagayya, who returned home under the influence of alcohol and engaged in a fight with his wife. Enraged by this, the accused Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Intense Heatwave Continues to Grip Multiple States Across India

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that heatwave conditions will continue in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka on Tuesday, with temperatures soaring up to 42 degrees Celsius in Delhi. The national capital recorded its hottest day of the year on Sunday, with the mercury touching 41.1 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal.The IMD had previously cautioned that most parts of India are likely to experience above-normal maximum temperatures this month. According to the latest weather bulletin from the IMD, heatwave conditions will persist in Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat for the next three days. Kerala is expected to witness hot and humid weather for the next five consecutive days.On Monday, severe heatwave conditions were reported in parts of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, while Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana experienced a heatwave.Heatwave conditions have persisted in Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh's Rayalaseema region since April 15, 17, and 24, respectively. In the last 24 hours, Saraikela in Jharkhand recorded the highest maximum temperature at 45.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) and Gulbarga (Karnataka) at 43.8 degrees Celsius.Meanwhile, Delhi is expected to experience a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with no relief from the heat in sight for at least the next seven days, as per the IMD forecast.The sky is expected to remain partly cloudy, with the possibility of a thunderstorm accompanied by gusty winds. The previous hottest day recorded in Delhi was on April 27, when the maximum temperature settled at 40.5 degrees Celsius.The IMD also stated that 10 to 20 heatwave days are expected, compared to the normal four to eight days, in the entire April-June period.April witnessed record-breaking maximum temperatures in east, northeast, and south peninsular India, leading to health warnings from government agencies. Some states suspended in-person classes in schools. The areas and regions predicted to experience a higher number of heatwave days include Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Bihar, and Jharkhand. Some places may even record more than 20 heatwave days. Putin Embarks on Fifth Term Amidst Global Scrutiny: A Look into Russia's Political Landscape Kendrick Lamar and Drake's Feud Turns Explosive: What You Need to Know Fatal Accident on Nagpur-Mumbai Samriddhi Expressway Claims Two Lives

Heatwave conditions likely in 21 mandals of Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA : As many as 21 mandals in the State are likely to experience heatwave on Tuesday and chances of mercury levels dropping in the next couple of days are high. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday forecasted a hot, humid, and discomfort weather likely in isolated places across the State on Tuesday. The Met Department predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of speeds 40-50 kmph are likely at isolated places across the State for the same period. On Monday, AP experienced hot and humid conditions with daytime temperatures above 40 degrees C at most places. APSDMA on Monday stated that 12 mandals experienced severe heatwave, and 112 mandals reported heatwave. Banaganapalle in the Nandyal and Manga Nellore in the Tirupati have recorded the highest daytime temperature of 45.5 degrees C, followed by Panchalingala in the Kurnool, Vallur in the YSR at 45.1 degrees C, Tarlapadu in Prakasam district at 44.9 degrees C, Ravipadu n Palnadu district at 44.6 degrees C, Gonupalle in Nellore district at 44.4 degrees C, Tarimella of Anantapur district at 44.3 degrees Celsius.

Telangana to receive rains till May 12, says IMD

HYDERABAD : After a prolonged heatwave, the state will experience rains and thunderstorms, said meteorologists. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said that most parts of the state will receive light to moderate rains and thundershowers till May 12 under the influence of multiple weather systems including a trough discontinuity from east Vidarbha in Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu across Telangana and Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh and a cyclonic circulation over Marathwada in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, light to moderate rains were recorded at isolated places in Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Siddipet, and Rangareddy districts on Monday. An orange alert has been issued for May 7 for Jangaon, Siddipet, Yadadri Bhuvangiri, Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Medak, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet and Jogulamba Gadwal districts for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph. Until May 10, the IMD has issued a yellow alert predicting continued rains, thunderstorms and lightning. As of Monday, the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) recorded the highest maximum temperature of 46.8C in Jagtial, followed by 46.4C in Peddapalli and 46.2C in Karimnagar. Hyderabad recorded the highest maximum temperature of 43.8C in Chandanagar. Heatwave conditions were recorded in 41 mandals and severe heatwave conditions were recorded in three mandals by the TSDPS. For the next 48 hours, Hyderabad will experience light to moderate rains or thundershowers with gusty winds, with a maximum and minimum temperatures of 39C and 27C, respectively.

Bear Sighted at Srisaila Sikharam Temple

Kurnool: Devotees crossing the road near Srisaila Sikharam Temple in Nandyal district on Sunday around 11 p.m. spotted a large wild bear, triggering fears. On receiving information, officials of the Srisailam Forest section in Nallamala responded quickly. They tracked the bear's movements till they safely guided it back into the forest. Sikharam Temple is situated around eight km from the Srisailam main temple. It holds the distinction of being the highest point of the Srisailam Hills, 2,830 feet above the sea level. It is an essential stop for devotees before they reach the Srisailam temple town. Srisailam Forest Range Officer V. Narasimhulu emphasised that no devotees or locals are allowed in the Sikharam area during the night. Only forest and security personnel remain stationed there. On Sunday night, total 10 forest and security staff spotted the bear. They monitored it till it went back into the forest. Narasimhulu said plans are underway to install fencing around the Sikharam spot to prevent such incidents in the future. He cautioned devotees and locals against roaming in the forested areas, particularly in the Tiger Reserve zone. Sikharam is known for frequent bear sightings. In fact, at least five bears have been venturing near the hill spot regularly. A small bear had been spotted in the same area last month.

Fire Breaks Out at Nandyal Municipal Yard

Kurnool: A fire erupted at the Nandyal municipal yard earlier on Monday, most likely caused by the scorching temperatures. The fire began small but quickly grew out of control due to the presence of old plastic stockpiles in the yard. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries or property damage. Firefighters responded swiftly to the scene and doused the flames. Fire officials are currently investigating the cause of the incident.

Nandyal Sizzles at 46 Degrees Celsius, Rain Expected in South Coastal AP

Visakhapatnam: Even as heavy rain is forecast for Tuesday, Nandyal blazed at a scorching 46C on Monday, topping the national temperature charts. In contrast, hailstorms in ASR and Parvathipuram Manyam districts brought down temperatures there. Nandyal's temperature soared 5.60C above normal.Following Nandyal were Kadapa at 45.40C (departure 4.50C), Kurnool at 45.30C (departure 4.80C), and Arogyavaram at 410C (departure 5.20C). Compared to the previous day, temperatures rose across many locations. Visakhapatnam recorded the coolest temperature at 34.50C, followed by Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam at 34.60C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Amaravati reported light rains in Rayalaseema, but they had no significant impact on temperatures. Chintapalli in ASR district and Parvathipuram experienced hailstorms, the IMD added.Heavy rain is expected to lash south coastal Andhra Pradesh from Tuesday onwards, including Nellore, Prakasam, Tirupati, Chittoor, Palnadu, Eluru, and East Godavari districts.

Assets of Top 52 Candidates from Telangana in LS Fray Nearly Rs 4,000 Cr

Election Commission told the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that it would derecognise those political parties which use children in election campaign or poll-related work. (Photo: PTI/File) Election Commission told the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that it would derecognise those political parties which use children in election campaign or poll-related work. (Photo: PTI/File) Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India has fixed a ceiling of Rs 95 lakh for a candidate to spend on the Lok Sabha election campaign. Going by the assets declared by the candidates from the three main parties in Telangana state, all of them, except one, could manage to spend this amount. Incidentally, among the three major parties, only the BRS has officially handed over cheques of Rs 95 lakh to each of its 17 candidates so far. The total assets declared by 51 candidates from the Congress, BJP, and the BRS, along with MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, the lone AIMIM candidate, stand at Rs 3,953.49 crore. Of this, BJP candidates have a lions share at Rs 2,486.21 crore, with its Chevella candidate Konda Vishweshwar Reddys assets alone account for more than half at Rs 1,696 crore. Incidentally, the BJP candidates declared assets are more than that of the Congress and BRS combine, which stand at Rs 709.25 crore and Rs 758.03 crore respectively. The only candidate whose assets are less than the Election Commission-approved expenditure limit of Rs 95 lakh is Pothugani Bharath, a BJP candidate from Nagarkurnool, with a declared wealth of Rs 33 lakh. All other candidates, including Owaisi, have declared Rs 1 crore or more as their personal wealth, whether in moveable or immovable assets. Whether the ECI limit of Rs 95 lakh is enough to cover a candidates campaigning cost in a Lok Sabha constituency that covers seven Assembly segments appears to be a moot question with leaders from different parties admitting that the campaign costs much more. But, when accounts are filed with the ECI, the expenditure limits are adhered to. Top 5 candidates Poorest Constituency CandidateParty Assets Nagarkurnool P. Bharat BJP Rs 33 lakh Karimnagar Bandi Sanjay BJP Rs 1.12 cr Nizamabad B. Goverdhan BRS Rs 1.41 cr Nagarkurnool Praveen Kumar BRS Rs 1.41 cr Warangal Dr Kadiam Kavya INC Rs 1.99 cr Adilabad Athram Suguna INC Rs 2 cr Richest Chevella Konda Vishweshwar Reddy BJP Rs 1,696 cr Chevella G. Ranjith Reddy INC Rs 294.47 cr Hyderabad Madhavi Latha BJP Rs 221.39 cr Khammam Nama Nageswara Rao BRS Rs 155.9 cr Zaheerabad B.B. Patil BJP Rs 151.69 cr

AP EAMCET 2024 exam on May 16: Check exam pattern, marking scheme, complete syllabus and more

AP EAMCET 2024, conducted by JNTUK for APSCHE, will take place from May 16 to May 22, 2024. Admit cards release on May 7, available on the official website. The exam includes 160 questions in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, with no negative marking. Exam mode is CBT, offering English or Telugu, with Urdu exclusively at Kurnool.

NDA will ensure Andhra Pradesh growth: Rajnath Singh

KADAPA/KURNOOL: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh criticised the law and order situation in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddys home district of Kadapa, which he said had diminished. He emphasised the need for a double-engine government to ensure the economic development of Andhra Pradesh, highlighting the crucial role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the process. Rajnath Singh addresed election meetings at Jammalamadugu in Kadapa and at Adoni in Kurnool district on Sunday. He credited the Modi government for conferring Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. He reiterated the Modi governments objective of implementing one country, one election. Criticising the Congress, he described it as a party that would fade from the memory even among children within 10 years. The BJP strongman urged the people to take the responsibility of eradicating the Congress from the country. He expressed confidence that under Modis leadership, India stands as Viswha Guru (world leader), and asserted that the NDA, comprising TDP, BJP and JSP, would secure victory in Andhra Pradesh, besides winning majority of Lok Sabha seats. He criticised Jagan, stating that while the Centre sanctioned 25 lakh houses for AP, the State government had only provided house sites to people. On allegations of corruption, the Union Minister asserted that the BJP ministers have maintained a clean record over the past decade. He reiterated the BJPs slogan of one nation, one flag and underscored the significance of achievements like the development of Jammu and Kashmir and the construction of Ayodhya Ram Mandir. He highlighted the BJPs commitment to transcending caste and religion, citing the abolition of triple talaq as a significant step forward for Muslim women. Later in Adoni, Rajnath Singh remarked that Andhra Pradesh, once prosperous in South India, had regressed under Jagans regime. Exuding confidence that Modi will continue to be the Prime Minister, he asserted that the NDA will also form the government in the State. We will protect this State and its interests, he promised. He found fault with the YSRC government for its liquor business and involvement in land and sand mafia. He alleged irregularities in the housing and drinking water schemes taken up by the State government to the tune of Rs 14,500 crore.

This election being fought to protect Constitution, reservations: Rahul Gandhi

This election being fought to protect Constitution, reservations: Rahul Gandhi Gadwal (Telangana): The ongoing general election is the first election being fought to protect the Constitution of India and safeguard the reservations guaranteed by it, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday. Addressing an election rally in the Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha constituency, he reiterated [] The post This election being fought to protect Constitution, reservations: Rahul Gandhi appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Temperature soars to 47C in Telangana; yellow alert for rain from May 7-9

HYDERABAD: The summer season continued to wreak havoc as the temperatures crossed 47C mark on Sunday in Telangana. Jagtial recorded the highest maximum temperature of 47.1C, while Karimnagar and Nirmal districts closely followed at 46.7C, according to the Telangana State Development and Planning Society (TSDPS) report. As per the TSDPS, 19 districts were on the red alert for extreme temperatures above 45C, while 14 others including Hyderabad were in the orange category with temperatures above 44C on Sunday. The city recorded the highest maximum temperature of 44C in Karwan and Moosapet, a slight drop from Saturday. The maximum temperatures from the previous day stood at 44.5C. One mandal in Jagtial district recorded severe heatwave conditions, whereas 50 other mandals recorded the regular heatwave conditions. As per the IMD, light rains and thunderstorms with gusty winds of around 40 kmph were experienced in the districts of Bhadradri Kothagudem, Jangaon, Mahbubnagar, Mulugu, Nagarkurnool, Rangareddy, Sangareddy, Vikarabad and Warangal, whereas moderate rains were recorded at isolated places in the districts of Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet and nearby areas. The IMD said that a cyclonic circulation persists over Marathwada and neighbourhood, owing to which, the state will experience light to moderate rains or thundershowers and lightning for next six days. Orange alert for heatwave will continue for one more day in the Adilabad, Kumurambheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagtial, Rajanna-Sircilla, Karimnagar, Peddapalli and Jogulamba Gadwal districts. Temperatures will see a significant dip from May 7 in most parts of the districts in the range of 36C- 40C, bringing relief from the scorching heat. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for rains and thunder showers with gusty winds around 40-50 kmph till May 9 in most of the districts including Hyderabad. For the next 48 hours, the city will experience maximum and minimum temperatures of 23C and 29C respectively, with south easterly winds around 6-8 kmph.

Rahul Gandhi to Narendra Modi: Are you ready to lift 50% cap?

Rahul Gandhi challenges PM Modi to remove 50% cap on reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs, accusing BJP of wanting to end quotas mentioned in Congress manifesto for LS poll in Nirmal, Adilabad, Gadwal, Nagarkurnool to safeguard the Constitution.

Nadda to address public meetings today

Hyderabad: BJP president J.P. Nadda will address public meetings at Godavarikhani, Choutuppal and Nalgonda in support of party candidates Gomasa Srinivas (Peddapalli), Dr Boora Narsaiah Goud (Bhuvanagiri) and Shanampudi Saidi Reddy (Nalgonda) on Monday. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will take part in a Pravasi sammelan at Imperial Gardens in Secunderabad, in support of Secunderabad candidate G. Kishan Reddy. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will address a Yuva Sammelan in Musheerabad at 10 am. At 12.30 pm, he will address a public meeting in Narsampet for party candidate Prof. Azmeera Seetaram Nayak (Mahbubabad) and around 5.30 pm at Bhutpur Road for Mahbubnagar nominee D.K. Aruna. BJP Tamil Nadu unit president K. Annamalai will address meetings at Jammikunta for Karimnagar candidate Bandi Sanjay and at Kalwakurthy for Nagarkurnool nominee P. Bharath. Annamalai will take part in a bike rally from Sanatnagar to Padmaraonagar for Kishan Reddy.

Rain and hail bring down temperature in TS

Hyderabad: After enduring a week of relentless heat, many districts in saw a dramatic shift in weather conditions, with rain and hailstorms across several regions bringing down temperatures. The IMD has cautioned against heavy winds, lightning, and hail. However, elsewhere, the TS Development Planning Society said Velgatoor in Jagtial district hit a record high of 47.1C, the highest temperature recorded across the state this year. Though the IMD had predicted rain from the evening of May 6, Nalgonda and Suryapet experienced early signs of change and residents reported 'blasting rains' with hail in Khammam, Mahbubabad and Jangaon. In the undivided Warangal district, two farmers succumbed to lightning strikes, 46-year-old farmer Basha Bullayya in Eturunagaram and 39-year-old farmer Dasari Ajay in Raghunathpalli, along with his cow. The heavy rain damaged grains at procurement centres in Eturunagaram. A huge portion of a slab of Garla railway station in Mahbubabad district came down during the rain. Neighbouring districts such as Karimnagar, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Nalgonda, Mancherial, and Kumuram Bheem reported extreme temperatures exceeding 46C, while Adilabad, Mahabubabad, Wanaparthy, Pedapalli, Jayashankar, Nagarkurnool, Yadadgiri Bhuvanagiri, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Hanmakomda, Jangaon, Kamareddy, and Warangal saw the mercury rise above 45C, with all other 13 districts facing similar scorching conditions of above 44C temperatures.

CM Jagan Woos Muslims, Says He Firmly Backs 4 Per Cent Reservations for Them

Vijayawada: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as president of the YSR Congress is concentrating his attention on minority votes in 62 assembly constituencies where they are the deciding factor in the present assembly and LS polls in the state. These constituencies, out of the total 175, have the highest and moderate voting percentages supporting 4 per cent Muslim reservations. Jagan Reddy pushed Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu into a quandary by daring the TD chief to raise the Muslim reservation issue in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the three-party alliances election meetings in AP. Jagan Reddy said, On one hand, Chandrababu Naidu joined hands with the BJP, which promised to remove the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims. Conversely, in an attempt to secure votes from the minority community, Naidu resorts to a deceitful act of false affection, further betraying Muslims. I boldly assert this today: The 4 per cent reservation for Muslims must remain intact. This is my firm stance! Will Chandrababu dare to voice this in front of Modi? Will he disassociate himself from the NDA? What is the purpose of this alliance, Chandrababu? Why the pretence of affection? Why align with the NDA, which opposes Muslim reservation, while perpetuating such deceit in your gatherings? Jagan Reddy, in a bid to get the support of minorities, further asserted, The 4 per cent reservation given to minority brothers is not given based on religion. These reservations are not applied to upper castes among the Muslims. This 4 per cent reservation is on a backward class basis. Im questioning the BJP and other opposition parties on this. All religions have BCs and OCs, these are reservations given on a backward class basis, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. Is it moral to play politics on such reservations and mess with their lives? He added, We will support minorities on issues like 4 per cent reservation, NRC, CAA, and any such minority-related issue, Minority sentiments will be secured and supported by Jagan and his party. Political analysts say that the bold statement of Jagan Reddy, of the YSRC protecting the minorities, will turn as lethal as the BJPs firmness on the cancellation of Muslim reservations. If the TD supports it, then this would be a big disadvantage to Naidu in the present elections, they aver. They said the YSRC has already started a negative campaign against Naidu and TD, which would be intensified in the next couple of days. This posed a threat to TD and is an advantage to YSRC, as it had allocated 7 assembly seats to minorities out of 175. The Muslim voters are the deciding factor in Kadapa, Kurnool, Rajampeta, Nandyala, Guntur East, Kadiri, Nellore, Srisailam, Hindupur, Proddatur, Pileru, Anantapur, Adoni, Allagadda, Nandikokuru, Madanapalli, Guntakal, Punganur, Vijayawada West, Tadikonda, Chilakaluripet, Panyam, Palamaneru, Banaganapally, Narasaraopeta, Tirupati, Nellore (Rural), Guntur (West), Rajampet, Gurzala, Kodumuru, Ponnur, Sattenapalli, Atmakuru, Emiganuru, Kamalapuram. Giddalur, Penamalur, Pedakurapadu, Pulivendula, Tamballapally, Dhone, Maidukuru, Vijayawada Central, Nandigama, Kovvur, Mangalagiri, Jammalamadugu, Ongole, Machilipatnam, Eluru, Parchur, Visakhapatnam, Penukonda, Rayadurgam, Chandragiri, Dharmavaram, Udayagiri, Rayachoti, Gannavaram and Gudivada assembly segments. The analysts say that the Muslim minorities carry at least 25,000 to one lakh voted in these sixty assembly constituencies. Hence, Jagan Reddy is wooing these minorities to sweep the elections with the help of 4 per cent Muslim reservations in the present elections. Kurnool MLA Hafiz Khan said Jagan Reddy will definitely protect the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims and he will oppose laws like NRC and CAA. Muslims will not allow cancellation of the 4 per cent reservations at any cost and this issue will play an important role in the elections.

Rajnath says law and order in Kadapa in bad shape

Anantapur: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday alleged that the law and order situation remained bad in Kadapa, the home district of Chief Minister YS Jagn Mohan Reddy. Rajnath Singh arrived in the region to campaign for BJP assembly segment candidate of Jammalamadugu, C Adinarayana Reddy, and TDs Lok Sabha candidate Bhupesh Reddy of Kadapa. While addressing the BJP workers meeting in Yerraguntla in Kadapa district, Rajanath Singh came down heavily on the YSRC government over its massive failures even in utilising the funds and schemes from the Centre during the past five years. The Union minister observed that the Central government had sanctioned 25 lakh pakka houses for the poor in AP but the chief minister failed to construct these houses and instead gave house sites in remote places for the beneficiaries. Rajnath Singh recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modis initiative to honour former premier PV Narasimha Rao with the Bharat Ratna award. He claimed that a double engine government will be formed in AP to ensure overall development, and called on the party cadres to work hard for victory of the candidates of the three-party alliance. Rajnath Singh underscored the urgent need for development of Andhra Pradesh during a road show in Adoni in Kurnool district, pointing out the state's slow progress under the YSR Congress rule despite assistance from the Centre. He emphasized that Andhra Pradesh, once economically prosperous, has now fallen into financial distress. The defence minister highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to address housing shortages and cited the earmarking of funds for 21 lakh houses for Andhra Pradesh by the central government. However, the state government built only 2 lakh houses, he said. Moreover, he questioned the utilization of funds allocated for essential projects like the Amrit Mission and pointed out the discrepancies in spending. He pledged the Modi-led government's commitment to ensuring efficient allocation and utilization of resources for the state's development. On the economic front, Rajnath Singh expressed confidence in India's growth trajectory, predicting its ascent to the third-largest economic power globally by 2027. He emphasized the importance of proactive measures to propel the state and the nation towards prosperity. Lok Sabha candidate B Nagaraju and assembly candidate Dr V Partha Sarathi joined the defence minister at the roadshow, highlighting their support for the development agenda.

Severe heatwave likely in 30 AP mandals on May 5

VIJAYAWADA: A severe heatwave is likely to prevail in 30 mandals, and 247 mandals are likely to experience heatwave-like conditions on Sunday. The IMD forecasted a heatwave at isolated places across the State on Sunday and Monday. IMD predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of speeds 30-50 kmph are likely at isolated places across the State for the same period. On Saturday, AP largely experienced hot and humid conditions with daytime temperatures above 400 C at most places. APSDMA, in its daily bulletin on Saturday, stated that as many as 28 mandals experienced severe heatwave, and 187 mandals reported heatwave. Darimadugui of Prakasam district recorded the highest daytime temperature of 47.50 C, followed by Kalasapadu in the YSR district at 46.40 C, Kovelakuntla of Nandyal district at 46.20 C , and Veinapi Akkamambapuram in Nellore district at 46.10 C. Meanwhile, Vagaruru of Kurnool recorded daytime temperatures at 45.70 C, Vijayapuri South of Palnadu district at 45.40 C, Hussain Puram of Anantapur at 44.80 C.

Strategy-wise, Telangana BJP way ahead of its rivals

HYDERABAD: With the Lok Sabha elections looming large and campaigning reaching a crescendo, the Telangana unit of the BJP is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to connect with voters at the grassroots level. The party has intensified its ground-level campaigning while its leaders monitor daily reports on the situation and issue instructions to candidates and in-charges. Election management wings have been established at the state headquarters. These wings are going through updates on the progress of campaigning efforts and voter outreach. The party is maintaining a database of beneficiaries of Union government schemes over the past decade. Booth committee members are now approaching them and seeking support for the partys candidates. The party workers are knocking the door of every beneficiary with pamphlets and copies of the BJP manifesto highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modis guarantees and the developmental work done of the past decade. Simultaneously, the party is cracking down on any negligence in the campaign, with the national leadership issuing warnings whenever needed. Additionally, BJP leaders appointed as in-charges for each Lok Sabha constituency are providing feedback on campaign progress and gauging public sentiment. Party leaders say that the in-charges are working tirelessly to ensure the success of Modis and Amit Shahs rallies in the state. Senior BJP leaders are closely monitoring developments from the party headquarters, addressing any issues at the ground level in real-time. The national leadership is optimistic that the party would achieve its target of winning eight to 10 of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state. According to party sources, BJP candidates have an edge 12 constituencies Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Zaheerabad, Chevella, Mahbubnagar, Bhongir, Warangal and Nagarkurnool. Senior leaders told TNIE that despite the challenge from their rivals, the BJP expects a favourable result in most constituencies, and has a clear advantage in eight constituencies with less than 10 days left for polling. The remaining four are too close to call, given the fact that the contest is triangular in these seats.

13 postal ballot facilitation centres in Kurnool, Nandyal

Kurnool: District collector G. Srijana has announced the establishment of eight centers to facilitate the use of 15,480 postal ballots across all constituencies in Kurnool from May 6 to 8. Additionally, arrangements have been made for postal ballots for 17,000 people in Nandyal, according to collector K. Srinivasulu. So far, 20,365 people have applied for postal ballots by the polling staff on all kinds of election duties. Facilitation centres have been arranged for all of them as per the instructions of the Election Commission, operating from 9 am to 5 pm. This includes 1,604 employees related to essential services, 3,281 employees from other districts, and 15,480 election personnel such as POs, APOs, OPVOs, police, etc. Facilitation centres have been set up at eight various locations in Kurnool, including schools and meeting halls, across different constituencies. In Nandyal, five facilitation centres for postal ballots are being established at several schools and colleges. Since the implementation of the Election Code of Conduct in the district, a total of `7.32 crore have been seized in cash, liquor, and other valuables across the district, the collector added.

Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh visiting AP today

VIJAYAWADA : Top BJP leaders are visiting parts of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday to campaign on behalf of their party nominees, who are contesting the May 13 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Opposition Telugu Desam and Jana Sena. Union home minister Amit Shah will arrive in Dharmavaram and address a public meeting at the CNB Gardens on Bathalapalli Road at 10:30 am in support of BJP nominee Y. Satya Kumar, who is contesting from the Dharmavaram Assembly constituency. Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu will also address the public meeting. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh will address his first public meeting at Yerraguntla in Kadapa at 12:30 pm. He will address another public meeting at Adoni in Kurnool at 3 pm. He will be campaigning in support of BJP nominees from Jammalamadugu and Adoni Assembly constituencies C. Adinarayana Reddy and P.V. Parthasarathi respectively.

Manifesto sans PM's photo hints at disbelief: Buggana

Kurnool: Finance minister Buggana Rajendranath pointed out the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modis photograph on the alliance's manifesto, suggesting that BJP AP in-charge Siddharth Singh hesitated to handle it during its release, indicating a lack of confidence in implementing such deceptive assurances. Rajendranath urged people to stay vigilant against Chandrababu Naidu's deceitful words and promises. Conducting an election campaign in Munimadugu, Alebad Thanda, and Alebad areas of Peapully mandal on Saturday, he emphasized that recent clashes within the constituency reflect a return to the old scenario. Instances of rowdyism in Peapully, Chinnapudella, Peddabujarla, and Taduru villages serve as evidence. Further, he questioned TD candidate Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy, who speaks of development, but has not addressed the poor road conditions between his home village Laddagiri and Kodumuru, located 20 km away.

Criminals Bound Over Ahead of Election on May 13

Kurnool: Ahead of the May 13 assembly and Lok Sabha elections, police of Kurnool and Nandyal districts have bound over 14,535 persons who have criminal history. While Kurnool district police have filed 6,333 bind-over cases, their Nandyal counterparts have bound over 8,202 persons. Police have organised 294 flag marches in Nandyal district with assistance from central armed forces. Authorities have booked 60 cases of violating election rules. They have seized 44,932 litres valued at around 46 lakh, apart from seizing 22.42 kg of ganja with street value of 11.44 lakh. In addition, 131 kg of silver, 707.02 grams of gold and silk sarees worth 1.06 crore have been seized. The total estimated value of seized cash, gold, silver, and other items in Nandyal district is about 8.33 crore. Nandyal district SP K. Raghuveer Reddy said four central force companies have already arrived and five more are expected soon. Kurnool district SP G. Krishnakanth said they have identified 155 critical and 11 vulnerable polling locations. Security measures have been increased at these places. Police have clarified that during the elections, citizens can carry only up to 50,000 in cash. Married women are allowed to wear up to 500 grams of gold, unmarried women 250 grams and men up to 100 grams of gold.

Rs 54.43 lakh worth liquor seized in Nandyal

Kurnool: Nandyal police seized Goa-made liquor worth Rs 54,43,200 and apprehended two people along with a truck near the Gajulapalle check post on Friday. The arrested persons were identified as Jithendra Rajkumar Gidwani from Pune, Maharashtra, and Rajesh Meena from Nagada village in Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh. During a raid at the Gajulapalle check post near Anjaneya Kottala village, police discovered 43,200 (180 ml) bottles of Royal Blue malt whisky from Goa. The liquor, packed in 900 boxes and concealed beneath cattle feed, was being transported in a truck from Goa to Vijayawada via Nandyal. The police seized the illegal liquor, the truck, two mobile phones, and arrested the two people. Nandyal DSP Ravindranath Reddy, Nandyal rural CI N. Sivakumar Reddy, sub-inspectors G. Nagendra Prasad, K. Mallikarjuna, Nagarjun Reddy, and others participated in the operation.

Kurnool Facing Rising Heatwave Amid Water Shortage

Kurnool: Kurnool city is grappling with severe water shortage even as heatwave conditions are worsening. The water shortage is due to minimal rainfall last year. Under normal conditions, Kurnool city gets 70 cusecs of water from the Tungabhadra River. But rainfall shortage has led to the city getting only 5055 million litres per day. Sunkesula barrage is another vital water source for Kurnool city. It has, however, dried up due to shortage of rain and escalating temperatures. The barrage now has only 0.030 TMC feet of water remaining of the total capacity of 1.200 TMC feet. In a bid to overcome the worsening situation, the Kurnool district collector granted special permission last month to the Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) to draw 50 cusecs of water from Gajuladinne Project, 70 km away from the city, for drinking purposes. However, water in this project too is depleting. Only 1.47 TMC feet of water is left out of a total capacity of 4.500 TMC feet. Residential areas across the city are facing acute water scarcity. More than 100 colonies in the municipal limits are receiving water only once or twice a week. Temperatures soaring to 45-46 degrees Celsius have made the matter worse. Residents of Kurnool are hoping for rains to alleviate their heat and water woes. But meteorologists have warned that temperatures are going to further rise in May. K. Mary, a resident of the Hosanna Mandir area on Kodumur Road, says they sometimes go without water for up to three days, causing significant inconvenience. She underlined that many of the poorer sections rely solely on water from municipal taps. They cannot afford the excessive costs associated with drilling bore wells. K. Murali Krishna, a resident of C-Camp area, said they often have to stay up late at night to fill their water tanks. Tenants in the area take turns to share the burden of filling water tanks. Municipal officials are attributing the water shortage to reduced rainfall, particularly in the catchment area of Sunkesula reservoir, which traditionally serves as the city's primary water source. A municipal field staff said even residents with bore-wells in their homes are primarily relying on municipal water, using motors to draw and store water. Such reliance on municipal water has increased the burden on the civic body. He emphasises that residents need to use water judiciously during the summer months.

TG Bharat campaigns at Kurnool market yard where problems are aplenty - The Times of India

TG Bharat campaigns at Kurnool market yard where problems are aplenty The Times of India

Nandyal Records 46C, Emerges India's Hottest for Third Straight Day

Visakhapatnam: Nandyal registered a temperature of 46 degrees Celsius on Saturday and became the hottest place in India for the third consecutive day while five cities reeled under heat wave in the day. Intense heat conditions prevailed in parts of Rayalaseema districts and few parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh in the state with maximum temperatures recording in the range of 42-46 degree Celsius. The mercury on Saturday settled at 45.9C at Kurnool, 45.4C in YSR Kadapa, 44.8C at Jangamaheswarapuram, 44.7C at Anantapur and 44.1C at Tirupati. The IMD-Amaravati said the ongoing heat wave spell in the state will continue until May 5 and abate thereafter. Andhra Pradesh witnessed two spells of heat waves in April. S Karuna Sagar, scientist at IMD-Amaravati said Anantapur, Kurnool, Nandyal, Kadapa and Arogyavaram experienced heat wave conditions on Saturday while the other parts of the state experienced hot and humid weather conditions. The scientist said the state would have a respite from heat waves from May 6 onwards and receive heavy rain at isolated places over CAP and Rayalaseema on May 7.

IMD Forecasts Rainfall in Telangana

Though the vulnerability component of India (exposure index) is not that high (11.9 per cent), its lack of ability to cope with disasters is very high (80.2 percent). Though the vulnerability component of India (exposure index) is not that high (11.9 per cent), its lack of ability to cope with disasters is very high (80.2 percent). Hyderabad: Telangana might get a relief from the scorching temperatures as IMD predicted Light to Moderate rains in parts of the State from May 6. Thunderstorm accompanied with Lightning and gusty winds(30-40 kmph) very likely to occur at isolated places in Nizamabad, Rajanna Sirsilla, Jayashankar-Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubabad, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajigiri, Medak, Nagarkurnool districts of Telangana, said the press release. For Hyderabad, partly cloudy sky has been forecasted for the next 48 hours. Maximum and Minimum Temperatures are likely to be around 43C and 27C respectively, added the release. Telangana is reeling under severe heatwave with temperatures reaching close to 47C.

Heat waves forecast for 227 mandals in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday

Motorists cover Scarf their heads due to heat waves on Bandar Road in Vijayawada on Tuesday. Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) managing director R Kurmanadh said 227 mandals in the state are expected to experience heat waves on Saturday. Of the 227 mandals, 58 of them would experience severe heat waves, while 169 are expected to witness heat waves, he said. Severe heat waves have been forecast for 12 mandals in Srikakulam district, Vizianagaram (23 mandals), Parvatipuram Manyam (14), Visakhapatnam (one) and Anakapalli (eight), he said in a press release on Friday. Heat waves are predicted in 13 mandals in Srikakulam district, Vizianagaram (three mandals) and one each in Parvatipuram Manyam, Nellore, Sri Satyasai, West Godavari and Annamayya. Similarly, Alluri Sitaramaraju and Krishna (nine each), Visakhapatnam (two), Anakapalli (10), Konaseema and Tirupati (five each), Kakinada (17), East Godavari (four), Eluru (11), NTR (six), Guntur (14) and Palnadu (22) are to witness heat waves. Heat waves have also been forecast for three mandals in Bapatla district, Prakasam (14), Kadapa (four) and Tirupati (five). On Friday, Gospadu and Bandi Atmakuru in Nandyala district logged a maximum temperature of 47.7 degrees celsius each, followed by Ardhaveedu in Prakasam (47.3 C) and Chinnacheppali in Kadapa (47.2 C). Likewise, Veepinapi Akkamambapuram in Nellore (47.1 C), Peddakannali in Tirupati (46.9 C) and Panchalingala in Kurnool (46.8 C), among others. Kurmanadh advised people to stay indoors as much as possible between 11 am and 4 pm, and take precautions.

Andhra Pradesh: IMD issues severe heatwave alert in 58 mandals today

VISAKHAPATNAM : As many as 58 mandals, including 12 in Srikakulam, 23 in Vizianagaram, and 14 in Parvathipuram Manyam, one in Visakhapatnam and eight in Anakapalli, are likely to experience severe heatwave conditions on Saturday. Additionally, 169 mandals are expected to record heatwave conditions, as per the forecast by the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA). According to the India Meteorological Departments Amaravati Centres forecast, isolated places in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam, South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP), and Rayalaseema regions will experience heatwave conditions on Saturday and Sunday. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph are also expected in these areas. However, there is a slight relief in sight as heavy rain is expected in isolated places over NCAP, Yanam, and SCAP on May 7. On Friday, 63 mandals recorded severe heatwave, with Nandyal registering the highest maximum temperature at 46.3 degrees Celsius closely followed by Kadapa at 46.2 degrees Celsius, Kurnool at 45.9 degrees Celsius, Jangamaheswarapuram was 45.2 degrees Celsius, and Anantapur at 44.4 degrees Celsius. While 208 mandals recorded heatwave. Areas on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram received rainfall on Friday evening, providing some respite from the heat.

Buggana Questions TD on Scheme Akin to Amma Vodi

Kurnool : Finance minister Buggana Rajendranath has questioned opposition parties' criticism of YSRCs Amma Vodi scheme. If that is the case, why have you announced a similar scheme called Ammaku Vandanam, he asked while campaigning in Dhone on Friday. On the day, Rajendranath visited several areas including Bethamcherla Circle, Anjaneyaswamy Konda Peta, Venkatachalam Street and Janda Katta Street. He contended that people of the state can differentiate between false promises and manifestos that deliver what they have committed. Responding to criticism of TDP candidate Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy about water scarcity, the finance minister highlighted the ongoing water grid project costing 351 crore for Dhone constituency. The project aims to supply water to every household through a pipeline from Gorukallu reservoir. Rajendranath declared that despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic, Dhone has seen significant development with an investment of 3,000 crore over the past three years. He urged voters to consider the progress made under the YSR Congress government.

2.40 Crore Unaccounted Cash Seized In East Godavari

Police seized unaccounted cash of `2.40 crore from a private, inter-state bus in Gopalapuram, East Godavari on Thursday. Devarapalli circle inspector (CI) P. Bala Suresh said the cash was found in two bags with a bus passenger, Ayyala China Chennaiah, a resident of Kurnool. Chennaiah said that some unidentified person gave him the money to give it to another man in Rajamahendravaram. The bus was going from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam. CI Bala Suresh said the money was found during a routine check at the interstate check post near Gopalapuram. The cash was handed over to treasury department officials.

Congress, BJP snare BRS leaders, but cadre stays behind

HYDERABAD : The strategy by the Congress and BJP of putting in motion Operation Akarsh to attract top BRS leaders into their fold appears to have had only partial success, leaving the two parties fretting as the Lok Sabha elections loom closer. The Congress and BJP extended invitations to sitting and former MPs and MLAs, as well as prominent figures from the BRS, following which the leaders started migrating from the BRS to the two national parties. However, the situation has proven to be more complex than the Congress and BJP expected since second-tier BRS leaders and the original cadre remain loyal to the pink party. With this, the calculations of the two parties have gone awry since securing the support of these grassroots members was crucial to their long-term goal of winning a majority of the LS seats in the state. In its bid to sway BRS loyalists, the BJP gave tickets to turncoats from the BRS in constituencies like Zaheerabad (BB Patil) and Nagarkurnool (P Bharat, son of P Ramulu). While Peddapalli MP Venkatesh Netha who joined BJP is not contesting, former BRS MP Godem Nagesh is the saffron party candidate for the Adilabad LS seat and former MLA Wardhanpet Aroori Ramesh is contesting from Warangal. Former Huzurnagar MLA S Saidi Reddy is contesting for the Nalgonda seat. However, the assertive campaigning by BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao has put pressure on the BJPs prospects in these areas. The BJP expected at least a 10% vote shift, but this does not appear to be happening due to KCRs aggressive campaigning. The Congress too adopted a similar strategy, fielding candidates who migrated from the BRS in constituencies such as Malkajgiri (P Suneetha Mahender Reddy), Chevella (G Ranjith Reddy), Secunderabad (Danam Nagender) and Warangal (Kadiyam Kavya, daughter of Kadiyam Srihari). The aim was to win by tapping into at least 5% to 8% of the BRS vote bank. The Congress also welcomed ex-MLA Madhan Reddy from Narsapur (under Medak LS), former minister A Indrakaran Reddy from Nirmal (under Adilabad LS), former MLA and BJP leader Kuna Srisailam Goud from Quthbullapur (under Malkajgiri LS) and others into its fold. Both the parties are aware that the BRS vote share will be key in determining the outcome in several segments. This has been the reason they are now focusing on wooing these voters. However, with the BRS working hard on retaining the partys support base, the success of these efforts remains uncertain.

Mallu Ravi Confident of Winning Nagarkurnool Seat

Hyderabad: Congress nominee for the Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha seat Mallu Ravi exuded confidence that implementation of five guarantees had endeared the party to the members of the BC, SC and ST communities, who are enthusiastically backing them. He said All sections of people are rooting for a secular and democratic government. Having covered all mandal centres, I am now concentrating on villages. The BRS candidate R.S. Praveen Kumar has been exposed as an opportunist having switched over to a party that he had maintained was a feudal party. People have understood the divisive politics of the BJP and its candidate Pothuganti Bharath, he said. He said that once he is elected, he will get sanctions for issues that are pending. A national highway will be laid from Alampur to Nalgonda via Kollapur, Nagarkurnool and Achampet. Old pending railway projects will also be secured, he said. I got the Navodaya school sanctioned when I was an MP. The IOCL bottling unit was brought by me to Timmapur near Shadnagar. The telephone exchange and the postal office were also sanctioned for Nagarkurnool due to my efforts in 1998-99, he said.

2kmp4/Heat waves continue to sweep AP, Nandyal at 46.2 C

Visakhapatnam : Heat wave continued to boil parts of Andhra Pradesh for the second consecutive day on Thursday with mercury touching 46.2 degree Celsius in Nandyal on Thursday. The mercury touched 45.3 degree Celsius in Kurnool, followed by 44.8C at Kadapa and Jangamaheswarapuram. Tirupati recorded 44.1C and the remaining parts of the state recorded the maximum temperatures between 39C and 43 C on the day. Nandyal, Kurnool, Arogyavaram (42.5C), and Kavali (43.1C) experienced heat wave conditions on Thursday while hot, humid and most uncomfortable weather prevailed in many parts of the state, Dr S Karuna Sagar of IMD, Amaravathi. The heat wave conditions will prevail at isolated places over Rayalaseema districts as well as coastal Andhra Pradesh region and Yanam from May 3 to May 5 while the remaining parts of the state will experience hot and humid weather conditions. Adding woes to the heat waves, parts of Rayalaseema region will experience warmer nights during the period, Karuna Sagar added. The people in tribal pockets of Alluri Sitharama Raju and Parvathipuram Manyam districts said that they have been experiencing hot and humid weather conditions for the past few days forcing them to stay indoors. Few parts in ASR district on Thursday recorded thunderstorms in the evening hours, however the spell of showers failed to bring much respite from hot weather conditions.

Telangana to see more heatwave days in May: IMD

HYDERABAD : In the monthly outlook for temperature and rainfall released for May, the IMD predicted 24 above normal heatwave days for Telangana, as the state continues to grapple with scorching heat. Above-normal maximum temperatures are expected across most parts of the country, including Telangana, indicating harsher summers for much of May. Seven districts in the state recorded heatwave conditions as temperatures continued to rise above 46C on Wednesday. Nalgonda recorded the highest maximum temperature of 46.6C, followed by Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Suryapet at 46.5C, while 16 districts remained above the 45C mark of the highest maximum temperature in the red warning code of extreme temperatures. Quthbullapur records highest temp in city at 43.4C The highest maximum temperature in Hyderabad, 43.4C, was recorded at Quthbullapur on Wednesday. The state recorded a maximum average temperature of 43C against the normal 40.9C, whereas GHMC recorded a maximum temperature of 42.6C against a normal of 40.4C in April. As per the TSDPS report, comparing temperatures from the previous year to this year reveals a significant difference of 11C in the maximum temperatures in the state. On May 1,2023, the maximum temperature was 35.8C, whereas temperature has touched the 47C-mark this May, as per the TSDPS report. The IMD said that dry weather will prevail in the state till May 4, after which light to moderate rains or thundershowers are very likely to occur at isolated places from May 5 to May 7. Orange alert The state has been issued an orange alert for the next three days as prolonged heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in districts of Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal, Nizampet, Nizamabad and nearby areas; other districts have been put on yellow alert. The city will experience partly cloudy sky with maximum and minimum temperatures of around 42C and 30 degree respectively, with northwesterly wind speeds of 48 kmph for the next 48 hours. IMD observation in the monthly report Currently, El Nio conditions are present over the equatorial Pacific region, sea surface temperature anomalies continue to weaken across most parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The latest MMCFS (Monsoon Mission Coupled Forecasting System) forecast suggests that these El Nio conditions are likely to turn into neutral conditions in the beginning of monsoon season. In addition to El Nio-Southern Oscillation conditions over the Pacific, other factors such as the Indian Ocean SSTs also influence the climate in India. Currently, neutral Indian Ocean Dipole conditions are prevailing over the Indian Ocean. The latest climate models indicate that positive IOD conditions are likely to develop during the monsoon, the IMD said, adding that these changes suggested favourable conditions for rainfall during the southwest monsoon season Dos and Donts during heatwave conditions The health department issued its third advisory of the summer in view of the severe heatwave conditions prevailing in the state Dos: Stay hydrated Drink sufficient water as and when possible, even if you are not thirsty. Use Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), and consume homemade drinks like lemon water, butter milk / lassi with some added salts, fruit juices, etc. Carry water during travel Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables with high water content such as water melon, musk melon, orange, grapes, pineapple, cucumber, lettuce or other locally available fruits and vegetables. Stay covered Wear thin loose cotton garments, preferably light coloured Cover your head Use umbrella, hat, cap, towel and other traditional headgear when exposed to direct sunlight Stay indoors as much as possible In well-ventilated and cool places Block direct sunlight Limit your outdoor activity to cooler times of the day, i.e. morning and evening Stay alert Stay updated about weather reports. Get the latest update of weather on India Meteorological Department (IMD) website at https://mausam.imd.gov.in For vulnerable population Infants and young children; people working outdoors; pregnant women; people who have a mental Illness; physically ill, especially with heart disease or high BP must be extra careful Donts: Avoid getting out in the sun, especially between 12 noon and 3 pm Avoid strenuous activities when outside in the afternoon Avoid cooking during peak summer hours. Open doors and windows to ventilate cooking area adequately Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee and carbonated soft drinks or drinks with large amount of sugar. These actually lead to loss of more body-fluid or may cause stomach cramps, say doctors Avoid high-protein food and do not eat stale food Do not leave children or pets in parked vehicle Danger signs: Seek immediate medical attention from nearby government health facilities if any of the following is observed Altered mental sensorium with disorientation: confusion and agitation, irritability, ataxia, seizure and coma Hot, red and dry skin Throbbing headache Anxiety, dizziness, fainting and light-headedness Muscle weakness or cramps Nausea and vomiting Rapid heart beat Rapid, shallow breathing The health department said that as a part of precautionary measures, the government has made elaborate arrangements by providing special beds, IV fluids and essential medicines at all public health facilities. ORS sachets have been made available with ANMs/ ASHAs/ Anganwadi workers to meet any exigencies

ECI extends polling hours in most booths in Telangana by an hour

HYDERABAD : Barring Maoist-affected Assembly constituencies in the state, the ECI has decided to increase the polling hours in 17 Parliamentary Constituencies by an additional one hour (from 7 am to 6 pm). A notification to this effect was issued by the ECI on Wednesday. The decision to extend the polling time on May 13 was made at the request of the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer to increase the voter turnout in 106 Assembly segments of 17 Parliamentary constituencies. This decision was prompted by representations received from various political parties and contesting candidates, as well as the prevailing hot summer and severe heat wave situation in the state. The Lok Sabha constituencies where polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm include Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zaheerabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Chevella, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool (SC), Nalgonda, and Bhongir. In addition, polling in five Assembly constituencies of Khanapur (ST), Adilabad, Boath (ST), Nirmal, and Mudhole falling in the Adilabad Lok Sabha constituency, as well as three Assembly constituencies of Dharmapuri (SC), Peddapalle, and Ramagundam of the Peddapalli (SC) Lok Sabha constituency, will also be conducted between 7 am and 6 pm. Similarly, in six Assembly constituencies of Station Ghanpur (SC), Palakurthi, Parkal, Warangal West, Warangal East, and Wardhannapet (SC) falling in the Warangal (SC) Lok Sabha constituency, polling will take place between 7 am and 6 pm. Three Assembly constituencies of Dornakal (ST), Mahabubabad (ST), and Narsampet falling in the Mahabubabad (ST) Lok Sabha constituency will also have polling hours extended from 7 am to 6 pm. Additionally, five Assembly constituencies of Khammam, Palair, Madhira (SC), Wyra (ST), and Sathupally (SC) falling in the Khammam Lok Sabha constituency will see polling between 7 am and 6 pm. In the Maoist-affected 13 Assembly constituencies of Sirpur, Asifabad, Chennur, Bellampalli, Mancherial, Manthani, Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Pinapaka, Yellandu, Bhadrachalam, Kothagudem, and Aswaraopeta, polling will be held from 7 am to 4 pm as per the notification issued last month. DATA IN A NUTSHELL Parliamentary segments: 17 (SC-3, ST-2, General-12) Total Nominations filed: 1,488 Numbers of candidates who filed nominations: 893 Total number of nomination papers rejected : 428 Total number of nominated candidates : 625 Candidates withdrawn : 100 Contesting candidates: 525 (475 males & 50 females) Number of segments that require three ballot units: 7 Number of segments that requires two ballot units: 9 Number of segments that require one ballot unit: 1 Employees drafted for election duty: 2,79,519 Total seizures: Rs 212 crore, (Cash: Rs 81 crore, Liquor: Rs 46 crore, drugs & narcotics: Rs 26 crore, precious metals: Rs 30 cr freebies and other items: Rs 27 crore Number of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies allotted: 155. Additional CAPF companies requested: 66. Police personnel from other states: 20,000 Number of complaints received on voter helpline 1950: 1227 Total electorate in the state 3,32,32,318 (Male voters: 1,65,28,366, female voters : 1,67,01,192, transperson voters: 2,760) Senior citizens: 1,93,754, PwDs : 5,27,486. Voters aged between 18 to 19 years : 9,20,313, Service voters: 15,970 Total number of polling stations: 35,809. Constituency with highest number of Polling Stations: Malkajgiri (3226) Auxiliary polling stations: 453 Ballot units: 1,09,941 Control units: 44,906 VVPATs: 50,135 Critical polling stations: 9,900 Percentage of Distribution of Voter Information Slips completed : 47 percent Total number of cases filed : 7,185 Prohibition and excise : 6,560, narcotics & drugs: 287, IPC Cases: 309, RP Act: 29. No. of 12D applications received for home voting : 24,974 Number of 12D applications accepted: 23,248 (Senior citizens 10,362, PwDs 11,032, Essential Services 1,854) Home voting from May 3 to 6 Expenditure observers: 34 General observers: 17 Police observers: 9

Minority Votes To Determine Fate of Candidates in Srisailam

Representational picture. Representational picture. Kurnool: Srisailam is witnessing a fierce political battle between the ruling YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam. Incumbent legislator Shilpa Chakrapani Reddy of the YSRC is on the defensive. He faces criticism over his alleged involvement in the collapse of the Vardhan Bank in Atmakur, which led to substantial losses for customers. Worse, controversies surrounding the activities of his followers in Mahanandi mandals have exacerbated the mood against Shilpa. The Telugu Desam is seeking to exploit these issues by emphasizing the wayward styles of the ruling party leaders. The assembly constituency comprises five mandals Velugodu, Atmakur, Mahanandi, Bandi Atmakur and Srisailam with a total voter strength of 196,116 -- including 95,771 males, 100,301 females and 44 third-gender people. Shilpa, who contested from the Telugu Desam party in 2014 and faced defeat, emerged victorious in the 2019 polls when he held the YSR Congress banner and got a majority of 38,000 votes. He is now seeking to retain the seat. Budda Rajasekhar Reddy, who won the polls in 2014 on a YSR Congress ticket, was defeated in 2019. He is back in the fray representing the Telugu Desam. Both candidates enjoy significant support within the constituency. Notably, minority voters play a decisive role in the elections in this constituency. However, the recent communal disputes in Atmakur have reshaped the political situation. In January 2022, communal tensions flared, resulting in a group clash involving around ten people. BJP in-charge, Budda Sreekanth Reddy, was injured in the incident. Criticism was directed at sitting MLA Chakrapani Reddy as he allegedly failed to respond effectively to the tense situation. This raised the worries of the minority communities across the constituency. Chakrapani Reddy's initiation of the Vardhan Bank in Atmakuru, which subsequently collapsed after collecting deposits worth crores, further tarnished his image. Several leaders from his own party have defected to Rajasekhar Reddy's group, citing harassment through legal cases. Negative perceptions have also emerged regarding the settlements of the MLA's brother and the activities of his followers in Mahanandi Mandal. Previously, the ruling YSRC enjoyed significant support among the Muslims in Atmakur mandal, but recent developments appear to have altered this perception. The YSRC now faces stiff competition from the Telugu Desam candidate. - The same candidates from YSR Congress and TD who have switched loyalties since 2014

AP Records Highest Temperature of 46.2 C

Visakhapatnam : in Palnadu district and Rentachintala in Guntur district became hottest places in the country by registering a temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. This was 4.5 notches above the maximum normal temperature. According to an IMD report, the maximum temperature has breached 46 degree Celsius for the first time in AP on Wednesday. The report said Tirupati recorded the second hottest temperature in the state at 45.6C (5.2 notches above normal), followed by Nandyal 45.4C, Nandigama 44.6C, Kurnool 44.5C, Kadapa 44.2C, Anantapur 43.4C, Amaravati 43.2C, Kavali 43.1C and Tuni 41.4C. The minimum temperature also hovered around 28 degrees in many parts of the state, intensifying the heat conditions. Lowest temperatures of 34.4 degrees Celsius and 34.9 Degrees Celsius were recorded in Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district and Visakhapatnam. Weathermen said Tirupati, Jangamaheswarapuram, Kavali, Tuni, Nandyal and Argoyavaram experienced heatwave conditions on Wednesday while the remaining parts of the state experienced hot and humid weather conditions. Severe heatwaves will sweep across Rayalaseema till May 5 while the remaining parts of the state will experience heatwave conditions till May 5. Referring to the current extreme heatwave conditions in the state, IMD Amaravati scientist Karuna Sagar attributed the extreme heat to a combination of weather patterns that included a lack of low pressure in April and an anticyclonic flow. The absence of sea breeze entering eastern and peninsular India due to anticyclonic flow is the major reason for the heatwave conditions, he added. Tuni town in Kakinada district recorded the highest temperature of 46.4C on June 17, 2023 and Vijayawada recorded the highest temperature of 46C on May 22, 2020 as per the IMD data between 2018 and 2024 (April).

Similar Symbols, Names May Confuse Voters in Kurnool

NOTA option would be used for the first time in Indian general elections NOTA option would be used for the first time in Indian general elections Kurnool: Voters in the Kurnool district are likely to get confused by similar symbols or the same names, particularly for Kurnool City, Mantralayam, and Kodumur assembly constituencies. In the Kurnool assembly segment, retired bureaucrat A Md Imtiaz is contesting on the YSRC ticket under the partys ceiling fan symbol. A voter may confuse him with an independent candidate named Inthiaz who has been allotted the dish antenna symbol. In the same constituency, TD candidate TG Bharath is contesting on the bicycle symbol. But an independent N Bharath may cut into his votes with the symbol glass tumbler, which belongs to TD ally Jana Sena. For the Mantralayam assembly seat, Y Bala Nagi Reddy is the YSR Congress candidate with the ceiling fan symbol. There is an independent candidate Nagi Reddy, who is contesting the elections on the whistle symbol. The Telugu Desam candidate in Mantralayam is N Raghavendra Reddy contesting with the bicycle symbol. But there are two other Raghavendra Reddys contesting as independents. One with initial R is contesting on the symbol pen stand and the other with the initial M, whose symbol is a pressure cooker. YSRCs Dr A Sathish is contesting from the Kodumur constituency on the ceiling fan symbol, while independent candidate Dwaram Sateesh has the air-conditioner symbol. In all, after the scrutiny of nominations ended in Kurnool district, 19 candidates are in the fray from the lone Lok Sabha constituency and there are 102 nominations for the eight assembly segments. Likewise, from Nandyal district, 31 are in the fray for the Lok Sabha seat and 126 remain in the contest for the six assembly segments. Pocha Brahmananda Reddy is contesting for the LS seat in Nandyal with the YSR Congress. An independent candidate named K Brahmananda Reddy is also in the fray, using the symbol of bangles. In Nandikotkur, Dr Dara Sudheer is the YSR Congress candidate, while independent Gade Sudheer is running with the symbol of scissors. Voters now focus mainly on party symbols rather than names. Only major parties are actively campaigning and have recognition among voters. I am confident of receiving support from voters. The presence of independent candidates with similar names doesn't affect much, said Mantralayam Telugu Desam candidate N Raghavendra Reddy, interacting with the Deccan Chronicle. Meanwhile, another independent candidate from Mantralayam named M Raghavendra Reddy said he filed his nomination based on advice from friends and family. They are not conducting extensive campaigns and expect support mainly from their acquaintances, considering their candidacy as a matter of fun.

Heat Wave Sweeps Five Places

Visakhapatnam: Jangamaheswarapuram in Palnadu district and Rentachintala in Guntur district became hottest places in India registering a temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. This was 4.5 notches above the maximum normal temperature. According to IMD report, the maximum temperature has breached 46 degree Celsius for the first time in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. The report said Tirupati recorded the second hottest in the state at 45.6C (5.2 notches above normal), followed by Nandyal 45.4C, Nandigama 44.6C, Kurnool 44.5C, Kadapa 44.2C, Anantapur 43.4C, Amaravati 43.2C, Kavali 43.1C and Tuni 41.4C. The minimum temperature also hovered around 28 degrees in many parts of the state intensifying the heat conditions. Lowest temperatures of 34.4 degrees Celsius and 34.9 Degrees Celsius were recorded in Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district and Visakhapatnam. The weathermen said Tirupati, Jangamaheswarapuram, Kavali, Tuni, Nandyal and Argoyavaram experienced heat wave conditions on Wednesday while the remaining parts of the state experienced hot and humid weather conditions. Severe heat waves will sweep across Rayalaseema till May 5 while the remaining parts of the state will experience heat wave conditions till May 5. Referring to the current extreme heat wave conditions in the state, IMD Amaravathi scientist Dr S Karuna Sagar attributed that the extreme heat to a combination of weather patterns which include lack of low pressure in April and anticyclonic flow. The absence of sea breeze entering eastern and peninsular India due to anticyclonic flow is the major reason for the heat wave conditions, he added. Tuni town in Kakinada district in Andhra Pradesh had recorded the highest temperature of 46.4C on June 17, 2023 and Vijayawada recorded the highest temperature of 46C on May 22, 2020 as per the IMD data between 2018 and 2024 (April).

Q4 Net Profit Dives 13%: Adani Energy Solutions Posts Rs 381 Crore Earnings

Q4 Net Profit Dives 13%: Adani Energy Solutions Posts Rs 381 Crore Earnings Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) has reported a 13.26 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit at Rs 381.29 crore during January-March 2024 on account of increased expenses. Its net profit after tax was at Rs 439.60 crore in the January-March period of the preceding 2022-23 financial year, the company said in an exchange filing on Tuesday. For the whole financial year (FY24), the company's net profit stood at Rs 1,195.61 crore, down from Rs 1,280.60 crore registered in FY23. During the fourth quarter, the company's total income surged to Rs 4,855.18 crore from Rs 3,494.84 crore a year ago. The company's income was Rs 17,218.31 crore in FY24 as against Rs 13,840.46 crore in FY23. The expenses stood at Rs 4,358.83 crore in the period under review, as against Rs 3,200.50 crore in the year-ago period. In FY24, the expenses rose to Rs 14,978.74 crore from Rs 13,164.32 crore in the preceding financial year. In a separate statement, the company said its revenues witnessed a double-digit growth on account of the contribution from the newly operationalised transmission assets, commissioning of elements at North Karanpura and MP-II package lines and an increase in the units sold because of higher energy consumption in the distribution business at Mumbai and Mundra. AESL MD Anil Sardana said, ''AESL's consistent progress in commissioning of new lines, along with robust energy demand, and our ability to recognise and tap market opportunities within the areas of interest continues to propel our growth and keeps us at the forefront of energy transition in India. ''An ESG score of 25.3 from Sustainalytics in their recent assessment placed us to be one of the top 20 electric utilities and helped surpass global and industry averages,'' Sardana said. Some of the key transmission projects the company commissioned in FY24 are the 765 kV Warora-Kurnool transmission line, the 765 kV KBTL (Khavda Bhuj line), with 217 circuit km, 400 kV Kharghar-Vikhroli double circuit transmission line, and Karur Transmission Ltd (KTL) project by establishing the 400/230 kV, 1,000 MVA (mega volt ampere) pooling station and an associated transmission line in Tamil Nadu. The company's distribution business AEML invested capital expenditure of over Rs 1,334 crore and reduced its long-term debt by Rs 855 crore through a bond buyback programme during the year. AEML sold 9,916 million units in FY24, as against 9,062 million units a year ago, on account of an uptick in energy demand. The distribution loss has been improving consistently and stands at 5.29 per cent in FY24 as against 5.93 per cent in FY23 and maintained supply reliability at over 99.9 per cent. During the year, it received contracts of 21 million metres from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttarakhand discoms (power distribution companies). The under-implementation pipeline now stands at 22.8 million smart meters, comprising nine projects with a contract value of over Rs 27,195 crore. In transmission, the company operationalised 1,244 circuit km during the year and ended with a total transmission network of 20,509 circuit km. Part of the Adani Group, AESL is the country's largest private transmission company, with a presence across 17 states of India and a cumulative transmission network of 20,509 ckm and 57,011 MVA transformation capacity.

Andhra Pradesh: TDP chiefs promises are worthless, says Buggana Rajendranath Reddy

KURNOOL: Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said that Dhone was developed more than Kuppam which is a home town of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu. Addressing a public meeting at Seesamguntala village in Dhone mandal on Tuesday, he asked if Naidu had noticed recent improvements like the unveiling of the Mahatma Gandhi statue and others in the town. He also termed Naidus promises worthless and urged people to notice if the former chief minister would fulfil the poll promises. Listing few of TDPs 2014 promises, including gas subsidies and Mahalakshmi schemes, Buggana criticised Naidu for deceiving women. The finance minister questioned whether promises like loan waivers for self-help groups and initiatives like Amma Vodi, Cheyutha, Aasara, and farmer loan waivers were implemented. He asked whether Chandrababu, who did not provide pensions for the elderly, would now increase them. The minister highlighted developments in Dhone, such as infrastructure improvements and water supply projects.

Kurnool at crossroads: Memories of YSR haunt Jagan's re-election bid

Rajasekhara Reddy, fondly known as YSR, had carved a niche in state politics by working for the upliftment of the downtrodden and neglected segments of the society. YSR emerged victorious in every election he contested during his 25-year-long political career.

Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan unveil please-all manifesto

VIJAYAWADA: TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan released the Prajagalam Alliance Manifesto in the presence of BJP State in-charge Sidharth Nath Singh at the former CMs residence in Undavalli on Tuesday. The manifesto covered a wide range of issues targeting different sections. Besides the Super Six sops for farmers, women and youth, the parties vowed to implement the BC (Backward Class) Declaration, hike pensions to Rs 4,000 from the existing Rs 3,000, Rs 10,000 honorarium for volunteers, Rs 25 lakh health insurance to every family and to conduct a skill census. Additionally, Naidu promised a better Pay Revision Commission and Interim Relief to government employees. He assured them that the Contributory Pension Scheme will be reviewed. On the capital of the State, the manifesto declared that effective steps would be taken to resume development of Amaravati, which will ensure progress of Navya Andhra Pradesh. With special emphasis on Uttarandhra and Rayalaseema, it was announced that Visakhapatnam will be developed as the financial capital of the State and a High Court bench will be set up in Kurnool. Focus will be laid on industrialisation for the effective development of all the regions. Abolishing the AP Land Titling Act and garbage tax, regulation of electricity charges, and reviewing house tax and free sand policy are some of the other key promises made in the joint manifesto. Besides promising to curb the flow of spurious liquor, the alliance announced that their government will allocate 10% of liquor shops to toddy tappers. Under the Shanmukha Vyooham, JSP chief Pawan Kalyan announced six more promises and asserted that the alliance government will implement all guarantees specified in the manifesto with the support of the NDA government at the Centre. The leaders also promised to generate 20 lakh jobs in the next five years, claiming they know how to create wealth. BC Declaration Special Act to protect BCs Rs 4,000 pension for BCs aged 50 and above Rs 1.50 lakh crore to be spent through BC sub-plan in five years Rs 10,000 crore BC self-employment scheme Rs 5,000 crore for restoration of Aaradhana scheme Capital Development Amaravati to be the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh Develop Visakhapatnam as financial capital High Court Bench at Kurnool Industrial hubs in Uttarandhra & Rayalaseema TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan during the release of manifesto at Undavalli in Vijayawada on Tuesday I Prasant Madugula YSRC distributed Rs 10 with one hand, looted Rs 100 from everyone: Naidu Asked about the resources needed for fulfilling the promises in the manifesto, Naidu recalled that the financial condition of undivided Andhra Pradesh was not good when he took charge as chief minister in 1995. However, he added, by the time he stepped down, the financial condition of the State improved with creation of wealth. Describing skill census as a groundbreaking project, the former chief minister explained, While the caste census has been carried out in various States, the emphasis on skill census represents a fresh and progressive move towards enhanced productivity. The primary goal is to identify individuals with specific skills, enabling them to receive appropriate training for a more promising tomorrow. This well-thought-out strategy is geared towards boosting the efficiency of young people. Besides promising nine hours of uninterrupted power for agriculture and installation of solar pump sets for free, he said the NDA will integrate rooftop solar energy given by the Central government and ensure decentralisation of power generation. The future of the State hangs in the balance. In the form of elections, I have received another chance to put the State on the right track. I appeal to the voters to support the NDA for building a golden Andhra Pradesh and send this psycho CM home, Naidu said. Stating that the entire Telugu community, which was once the most powerful force in the world, is now feeling sorry of the prevailing situation in the State, the TDP chief alleged, Merely to loot the assets of the State, a whopping Rs 13 lakh crore debts were raised, thereby pushing the State into a deep crisis. Further, he said, Insecurity, unrest, murders and suicides are widespread across the State and every family has a debt burden of at least Rs 8 lakh due to rising cost of living and massive tax burden. The ruling YSRC has distributed Rs 10 with one hand and looted Rs 100 from everyone with other. He regretted that the State stands third in the country in farmer suicides and second in atrocities against girls below the age of 18. Education, youth and healthcare To review KG to PG syllabus Mega DSC, release of job calendar every year Rs 10,000 honorarium for volunteers Conduct a skill census Rs 25 L health insurance to every family Generic medical shops in every mandal Free generic medicines for people suffering with non- communicable diseases like BP & diabetes Infrastructure and Agriculture Nine hours free power supply for agriculture To set up price stabilisation fund To extend welfare schemes to tenant farmers by providing ID cards to them To complete Polavaram project and take up interlinking of rivers Welfare of Muslims Pension for Muslim minority from 50 years Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 monthly honorarium for Imas and Mousans respectively 5,000 financial assistance/month for maintenance of Masjids Rs 1 lakh financial assistance for Haj pilgrimage

Fake deals, job offers major cybercrimes in Telangana districts

HYDERABAD : The intricate web of cybercrime feeds not only in the urban centres but also beyond the city borders, preying on unsuspecting victims. Outside the city limits, the modus operandi takes on a distinct flavour, with perpetrators alluring in the name of small-scale tasks and believable ones like credit and debit card reward points, enticing customers with irresistibility. The loss of amount may differ sometimes depending on the modus operandi and the cybercrime offences that have been taking place in the districts and villages. Explaining the kinds of modus operandi the fraudsters come up with, a police official said, Mobile phone deals on platforms like OLX sometimes are a good grab. These schemes are coupled with the deceptive promise of government initiatives such as the Pradhana Mantri Janata Yojana, luring innocent people into a web of deceit. The officer added, Cyber criminals also employ tactics such as setting up fake mobile or cell phone towers and exploiting the housing market by duping property owners with false rental agreements. Unemployment is another complexity added to the current situation where graduates from BTech colleges in areas like Suryapet and Nalgonda are suffering losses. Many young graduates find themselves falling victim to fraudulent job offers. In a recent case in Khammam, a BTech student himself resorted to the crime and was apprehended. The accused, Parepally Sai Krishna, had completed his BTech and was surviving with a small time business. In lieu of earning easy money, he used to send messages to HoDs of different colleges introducing himself as the student of the college and manipulate them into providing jobs for the students. He was contacted by three students where he promised jobs and asked them to pay Rs 35,000 to reserve the slot and Rs 35,000 after they receive their first salary. However, he escaped with the amount after three students paid him. In response to this, authorities have taken proactive measures to combat cybercrime head-on. Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TSCSB) SP Deendra Singh said, The establishment of six specialised Cyber Security Police Stations across the state, equipped with a dedicated team of law enforcement personnel, marks a significant step in the fight against digital threats. Led by Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) and supported by one Inspector, two Sub-Inspectors, and 20 Constables, these stations are dedicated towards tackling cybercrime with efficiency. Furthermore, the rollout of District Cybercrime Coordinator Centres (D4Cs) across all districts in the state serves as a testament to the collaborative effort to combat cyber threats at the grassroots level. The officer added, These specialised Cyber Security police stations are taking up cases in which victims suffer a loss of Rs 1 lakh or more and hand over the case to respective police stations. Meanwhile, the CCPS along with D4Cs are taking up awareness programmes every Wednesday and are going around colleges, schools and villages to shed knowledge on the ongoing digital crime and ways to stay cautious. CCPs have recently been opened in Nizamabad Siddipet Medak Ramagundam Warangal Khammam D4Cs inaugurated at Adilabad Bhadradri Kothagudem Jayashankar Bhupalapally Jogulamba Gadwal Karimnagar Kamareddy Kumurambheem Asifabad Mahbubnagar Mancherial Mulugu Nagarkurnool Nalgonda Narayanpet Peddapalli Rajanna-Siricilla Sangareddy Suryapet Vikarabad Wanaparthy

Vizag Muslims want representation in Assembly

Visakhapatnam: Ruling YSRC leaders are holding meetings with leaders of the Muslim community in Visakhapatnam as the polling date is fast approaching. Those who are organising the meetings include north Andhra regional coordinator and Rajya Sabha member Y.V. Subba Reddy, Visakha Lok Sabha candidate Botsa Jhansi Lakshmi, Vizag North ruling party candidate K.K. Raju. During their meetings, YSRC leaders are stressing on Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's commitment to development of Muslims. They point out that the party has given tickets to seven Muslim candidates MD. Khaleel Ahmad in Nellore City, Nisar Ahmad in Madanapalle, Amzath Basha Shah Shaik Bepari in Kadapa, A.M. Imtiaz in Kurnool, Kadiris Maqbool Ahmad, Shaik Asif in Vijayawada West, and Shaik Noori Fatima in Guntur East. However, Muslim community leaders in Visakhapatnam have been forthright in pointing out that after Rahman, no other Muslim candidate has been given an MLA ticket from Vizag. They point out that the political contribution of Muslim community in Visakhapatnam-I have been significant. Authorities constituted the assembly constituency in 1967. But it ceased to exist in 2008. The constituency saw two Muslim candidates emerging victorious. In 1972, M. R. Deen won as MLA member in the Indian National Congress ticket. In 1994, TD candidate Abdul Rehman Sheku emerged victorious with 35,344 votes. He defeated INC candidate Gudivada Gurunandha Rao, who received 32,180 votes.

Adani Energy Solutions Q4 Net Profit Declines 13% to Rs 381 Crore

Adani Energy Solutions Q4 Net Profit Declines 13% to Rs 381 Crore Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) on Tuesday posted a 13.26 per cent fall in its consolidated net profit to Rs 381.29 crore during the quarter ended March 2024 on account of increased expenses. Its net profit after tax was at Rs 439.60 crore in the January-March period of the preceding 2022-23 financial year, the company said in an exchange filing. For the whole Financial Year (FY) 24, the company reported a net profit of Rs 1195.61 crore, down from Rs 1280.60 crore in FY 23. During the fourth quarter, the company's total income surged to Rs 4,855.18 crore from Rs 3,494.84 crore a year ago. The income in FY 24 was at Rs 17,218.31 crore as against Rs 13,840.46 crore in FY 23. The expenses were Rs 4,358.83 crore in the period under review, as against Rs 3,200.50 crore in the year-ago period. In FY 24, the expenses rose to Rs 14,978.74 crore from Rs 13,164.32 crore in the preceding financial year. In a separate statement, the company said its revenues witnessed a double-digit growth on account of the contribution from the newly operationalised transmission assets, commissioning of elements at North Karanpura and MP-II package lines and an increase in the units sold because of higher energy consumption in the distribution business at Mumbai and Mundra. AESL MD Anil Sardana said, ''AESL's consistent progress in commissioning of new lines, along with robust energy demand, and our ability to recognise and tap market opportunities within the areas of interest continues to propel our growth and keeps us at the forefront of energy transition in India. ''An ESG score of 25.3 from Sustainalytics in their recent assessment placed us to be one of the top 20 electric utilities and helped surpass global and industry averages,'' Sardana said. Some of the key transmission projects the company commissioned in FY24 are the 765 kV Warora-Kurnool transmission line, the 765 kV KBTL (Khavda Bhuj line), with 217 circuit km, 400 kV Kharghar-Vikhroli double circuit transmission line, and Karur Transmission Ltd (KTL) project by establishing the 400/230 kV, 1000 MVA (mega volt ampere) pooling station and an associated transmission line in Tamil Nadu. The company's distribution business AEML invested capital expenditure of over Rs 1,334 crore and reduced its long-term debt by Rs 855 crore through a bond buyback programme during the year. AEML sold 9,916 million units over 9,062 million units last year on account of an uptick in energy demand. The distribution loss has been improving consistently and stands at 5.29 per cent in FY24 as against 5.93 per cent in FY23 and maintained supply reliability at over 99.9 per cent. During the year, it received contracts of 21 million meters from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttarakhand DISCOMs (power distribution companies). The under-implementation pipeline now stands at 22.8 million smart meters, comprising nine projects with a contract value of over Rs 27,195 crore. In transmission, the company operationalised 1,244 circuit km during the year and ended with a total transmission network of 20,509 circuit km. Part of the Adani Group, AESL is the country's largest private transmission company, with a presence across 17 states of India and a cumulative transmission network of 20,509 ckm and 57,011 MVA transformation capacity.

Telangana: Villagers to boycott polls over mining in Nagarkurnool

Hyderabad: The residents of Mailaram village in Kodair mandal of Nagarkurnool district have resolved not to vote, or let any political party seek votes in their village for the coming general elections. The reason: they are against the mining of a hillock in their village. On Tuesday, the villagers held a rally with the slogan Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

No poll campaign in temple town, Srisailam EO warns employees

Kurnool: The Executive Officer of Srisailam temple D Peddiraju on Tuesday warned all the devasthanam employees, including regular, contract and outsourcing employees, against any violation of code of conduct within the temple town. He warned the employees of strict action if they were found participating in political campaigns, meeting political leaders, and taking photographs with them. Representational Image. Pic credits. (X)Peddiraju said that a few complaints were received against some employees of wearing party-related scarves, caps and campaigning in the Srisailam temple against in violation of the the endowment laws. Appropriate action would be taken against such persons, said the EO and urged the people to inform the authorities if they noticed any such behaviour from the temple employees.

Kurnool Medical College Hospital gets advanced bone density diagnostic machine

Telangana: IMD issues heatwave warnings as temperatures continue to soar

HYDERABAD: Mercury levels continued to remain above 45C on Monday, adding to the summer woes of pre-existing dry and hot weather that the state is reeling under. As per the Telangana State Development and Planning Society, Nalgonda recorded the highest maximum temperature of 45.5C, followed by Mulugu at 45.1C, while Nalgonda also experienced heatwave conditions across three mandals. Hyderabad also recorded the highest maximum temperature of 43C in Jubilee Hills, Moosapet and Rajendranagar. As per the IMD, as weather systems moved away from the state, temperatures would increase and dry weather is very likely to prevail. The IMD said that heatwave conditions were likely to prevail for the next five days in the districts of Nalgonda, Khammam, Rajanna Sircilla, Suryapet, Mahbubabad, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Janagaon, Siddipet, Yadadri Bhuvangiri, Kamareddy, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, and nearby areas. The IMD has issued an orange warning for high temperatures in the range of 41-44C across the state for the next five days. The city will experience a maximum and minimum temperature of 43C and 30C respectively, with south-easterly winds of 6-10 kmph.

Severe heatwave likely in 61 Andhra Pradesh mandals today

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has forecasted severe heatwave conditions in 61 mandals across Andhra Pradesh, including nine in Anakapalle, 14 in Parvathipuram Manyam, 13 in Srikakulam, one in Visakhapatnam, and 24 in Vizianagaram on Tuesday. Additionally, 173 mandals are expected to experience a heatwave. According to the India Meteorological (IMD) Amaravati Centre, prevailing lower tropospheric Southerly/South and south-westerly winds over AP and Yanam are contributing to these severe heat conditions. Heatwave is expected at isolated places over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam, South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP), and Rayalaseema until Wednesday. Further, severe heatwaves are predicted at isolated places over Rayalaseema on Thursday and Friday. On Monday, Nandyala recorded the highest maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, followed by Anantapur at 44.7 degrees Celsius, Kurnool at 44.3 degrees Celsius, Kadapa at 44 degrees Celsius, Jangamaheshwarapuram at 43 degrees Celsius, Tirupati at 42.2 degrees Celsius, and Nandigama at 42 degrees Celsius. Around 59 mandals faced severe heatwave conditions on Monday, with one in ASR district and Sri Satya Sai, 10 in Anakapalle and Parvathipuram Manyam, 12 in Srikakulam, three in Visakhapatnam, and 22 in Vizianagaram.

TDP chief accuses Jagan of conspiring to grab lands

VIJAYAWADA: Claiming that the people might lose power over their lands once the AP Land Titling Act is enforced, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was conspiring to grab lands through the Act. Addressing a public meeting at Dhone and Nandikotkur in Nandyal district as part of Praja Galam on Monday, he called on the people to chase the pyscho Chief Minister away. Since the British era, we have the land records and Pattadar passbooks on our names. But Jagan has announced to digitise the records. This will ruin our lives as influential persons will get hold of your lands simply by changing the names online. A person in Vontimitta committed suicide recently because of such an incident, Naidu said. Asking the public whether they have ever seen any Chief Minister in the country who did not go to the Secretariat during the entire five-year tenure, Naidu sought to know, Did Jagan build any project in the State in these five years or provided even a single job to anyone? The TDP chief accused Jagan of mortgaging peoples health by not clearing pending dues to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore to Aarogyasri-empanelled hospitals. In a dig at Finance Minister and YSRCs Dhone candidate, he said Buggana Rajendranath neither goes to the Secretariat nor is he present in his constituency, but always stays in New Delhi seeking loans for the State. Buggana must realise the fact that being in power does not mean seeking debts or narrating cock and bull stories. Instead of strengthening the financial system, this government has mortgaged even the State Secretariat, he alleged. Claiming that YSRC leaders are under the false impression that power is permanent, he accused them of trying to illegally grab the lands of innocent people by taking law into their hands. Reiterating his commitment to provide 20 lakh jobs in the coming five years, the former chief minister remarked that the youth in the State can prosper only if the NDA comes to power in the State and at the Centre. If I am elected, I am promising you all that power tariff will never be revised and there will be no power cuts. Also, I am assuring you all that a better Pay Revision Commission (PRC) will be announced for the government employees, the TDP supremo asserted. Naidu slams govt for dodging door delivery of pensions Speaking to mediapersons in Kurnool district, Naidu sought to know why the government is not taking steps for distribution of pension to the beneficiaries at their doorstep despite having sufficient employees. He said the YSRC government, after claiming several lives by forcing pensioners to go to the village secretariats for getting their pensions last month, was now forcing them again to go to the banks in the blazing heat. He added that the government will have to take responsibility, if any pensioner dies in his attempt to receive pension. Naidu said that it was unfortunate on part of some of the officials involved in the conspiracies of the ruling YSRC in distribution of pensions. There are about 1.26 lakh secretariat employees, 15,000 Panchayat secretaries, 5,000 each of Velugu and agricultural department employees and 3,000 horticulture staff members at the governments disposal at the village-level. The exercise of delivering pensions at the doorstep can be completed in a single day by using their services, he said. Terming the deaths official murders, Naidu said, What is most regrettable is that officials, too, are becoming partners in the perpetration of crimes by the ruling party. He charged Jagan with not discharging his bounden duties and instead resorting to cheap politics. He alleged that the YSRC chief was deliberately forcing the elderly pensioners to go to the village secretariats as he was aware of the lack of funds in the State exchequer. Further, he accused the ruling YSRC of making lame excuses such as employees do not know the addresses of the pensioners to avoid doorstep delivery of pensions. With the ECI directing the State government to pay pension through DBT and doorstep delivery, Naidu asked how did the government manage to get pensioners bank accounts now. Blaming Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy, and other officers for the delay in distribution of pensions in April, Naidu made it clear that the official machinery, too, should not take into consideration the directions of the CM after the Model Code of Conduct comes into force.

Andhra Pradesh: For them, power and posts, not new

Nara Chandrababu Naidu The TDP supremo and three-time Chief Minister, first assumed office in 1995-1999 after winning from Kuppam. He led the TDP to victory again in 1999, serving until 2004, and later from 2014 to 2019, always representing Kuppam segment. Now, he is contesting from his bastion Kuppam against YSRCs Krishna Raghava Jayendra Bharath Nara Chandrababu Naidu MM Pallam Raju He served as the Union Minister for Human Resources Development from 2012-2014 and held other portfolios. Representing Kakinada, he is a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Now, he is in the fray from Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency on Congress ticket against JSPs Uday Srinivas and YSRCs Chalamalasetty Sunil Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy The former Chief Minister of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh contested as an MLA from Pileru constituency earlier. A staunch Congress loyalist, he served as the Chief Whip and Assembly Speaker, before rejoining the party in 2018. In 2023, he shifted allegiance to the BJP. Now, he is contesting from Rajampet Lok Sabha constituency on BJP ticket against sitting YSRC MP PV Midhun Reddy Chinta Mohan He has been associated with the Congress since the 1970s. He was elected to the Lok Sabha six times from Tirupati. He was Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers in PV Narasimha Raos Cabinet in 1990. The six-time MP is once again contesting from the same Lok Sabha seat against BJPs V Varaprasad Rao and M Gurumoorthy of YSRC Daggubati Purandeswari She was a Congress MP in the 14th and 15th Lok Sabha, representing Bapatla and Visakhapatnam. Notable for her tenure as Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development, she joined the BJP in 2014, protesting the bifurcation. Now, she is contesting from Rajahmundry Lok Sabha constituency against YSRCs Guduri Srinivas Y Satyanarayana Chowdary He is a former Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences. Originally belonging to the TDP, he joined the BJP. He served as the Union minister from 2014 to 2018 in the NDA government. Now, backed by the tripartite alliance, he has emerged as the BJP candidate for Vijayawada West Assembly constituency against YSRCs Shaik Asif Y Satyanarayana Chowdary Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy The former Union Minister of State for Railways won from Kurnool Lok Sabha constituency on Congress ticket. Now, he is contesting on TDP ticket from Dhone Assembly constituency against State Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath of YSRC Nadendla Manohar The former Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly transitioned to the Jana Sena Party (JSP) in 2018 after serving as a two-time MLA of Congress from Tenali. Notably, he was the last Assembly Speaker of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh. With his political acumen, he is now the JSP PAC chairman. He is in the election fray from Tenali Assembly segment against Annabathuni Sivakumar of YSRC

Naidu confident of regaining AP with overwhelming majority

Kurnool: TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has said the anti-incumbency wave coupled with failure of all institutional frameworks will ensure his party sweeps both assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh as people have realised the ruling YSR Congress has failed to live up to all its promises. The former Chief Minister who is Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

YSRC Complaints to Election Commission against Pawan and Naidu

Vijayawada: The YSRC has lodged a complaint against the Telugu Desam, its chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and Kurnool TD MP candidate Nagaraju for allegedly acting against the election rules. YSRC MLA Malladi Vishnu, YSRC Grievance Cell president Ankam Reddy Narayanamurthy, and Legal Cell Leader Srinivasa Reddy complained to Chief Election Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena. MLA Vishnu stated that the TD is spreading misinformation against Jagan Mohan Reddy regarding the non-implementation of the Land Title Act through IVR calls. As this is against the model code of conduct, he has provided evidence asking him to take appropriate action. He said that secondly, Chandrababu made inappropriate comments against Jagan Mohan Reddy during the campaign held in Kodumuru and Mantralayam on April 28. He further said that Pawan Kalyan made inappropriate comments against Jagan Mohan Reddy during the election campaign held on April 28 in the Prathipadu constituency. Malladi Vishnu added that as this is against the election rules, they asked to take appropriate action against Pawan Kalyan.

Chandrababu Demands Action on Death of Pensioners

Kurnool : Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu has demanded that cases be filed against Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Chief Secretary Dr K.S. Jawahar Reddy over the recent death of 33 pensioners caught in an EC-inspired system-change. The families of each pensioner who died due to the fault of the state government should be given a compensation of `10 lakh while attempting to go out of their homes to take their pensions, Naidu told the media in Gudur on Monday. He questioned why pensions were not being distributed to beneficiaries at their doorstep at the start of April despite the availability of enough staff members to do this work. With approximately 1.26 lakh secretariat staff members, 15,000 panchayat secretaries, 5,000 each from the Velugu and agricultural departments, and 3,000 horticulture staff members available at the village level, pension distribution could be completed in a single day if their services were properly utilised, Naidu averred. Naidu claimed that conspiracies orchestrated by the YSRC have resulted in the deaths of these pensioners. Notably, the pension distribution at the doorsteps of pensioners in AP stopped abruptly at the start of this month as the Election Commission issued an order against use of village secretariat staff for this purpose till the elections are over. This followed a complaint it received from AP. Allegations are that the TD chief secretly inspired some entities to file the complaint. However, on Monday, Naidu pointed an accusing finger at chief secretary Jawahar Reddy and other officials, including Dhanunjaya Reddy, Muralidhar Reddy and Sasibhushan, alleging that they were responsible for the delayed distribution of pensions under orders from the Chief Minister. Naidu questioned the state government's recent claim of being unable to access bank account data of pensioners, especially when 75 per cent of the accounts were reportedly accessible for bank transfers now as per ECs directions. Addressing the public in Dhone, Chandrababu criticised finance minister Buggana Rajendranath for his absence at the Secretariat and Dhone, accusing him of constantly seeking loans for the state from New Delhi. The TD chief promised a better Pay Revision Commission (PRC) for government employees. He alleged that locals in Dhone are taking to ganja due to the unaffordable cost of liquor. Buggana must understand that governance entails avoiding debt and refraining from spreading funny narratives, Naidu said. During his address in Nandikotkur, Naidu criticised the political legacy of the Byreddy family, asserting that Siddharth Reddy was not an appropriate political successor, while Nandyal MP candidate Byreddy Shabari was the rightful heir. He reiterated promises of service-related benefits for employees and teachers, including CPS and DA, once his party assumed power in the state. The TD chief likened the Chief Minister to an untrained driver who has been driving the state in reverse direction, exacerbating the state's developmental setbacks over the past five years. Further, despite receiving a notice from the Election Commission for alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, the TD chief continued to use harsh language against Jagan Mohan Reddy during his public speeches. He used terms such as psycho, raitor, destructor, exploiter, cheat, wicked (dushtudu and durmargudu) against the CM. TDs LS candidate B. Shabari, assembly candidates Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy, G. Jayasurya, party leader M. Sivananda Reddy and others were present.

Land Titling Act After Natl Consensus: Dharmana

Visakhapatnam: Revenue minister Dharmana Prasada Rao on Monday said that the Land Titling Act would be implemented after a national consensus and blamed the TD and other Opposition parties for misinformation campaign. Addressing a press conference in Srikakulam on Monday, Dharmana clarified misconceptions surrounding the Land Titling Act and responded to criticism leveled against the state government's stance on the issue. He emphasized that the implementation of the Land Titling Act is not solely within the jurisdiction of the state government, but even the central government should give its nod. The minister highlighted the pressure exerted by the Centre on states to adopt this legislation. Reiterating the state government's commitment in implementing the Act once such a consensus is reached, he underscored the government's efforts to benefit farmers through various reforms and the utilization of advanced technology in land surveys. Addressing criticism directed at the government, Minister Dharmana refuted allegations of land grabbing and emphasized Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's dedication to empowering the poor by distributing land and providing housing leases. He challenged detractors to consider the significant strides made in land distribution during Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure, dismissing accusations of land grabbing as baseless. It may be recalled that the All India Lawyers' Union state unit, a committee of the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh and Kurnool District Bar Association filed the petitions in the AP High Court on the ground that the Land Titling Act would result in an increase in property disputes and in violation of some articles of the Constitution. Furthermore, the minister condemned attempts to mislead the public, particularly through false propaganda spread via social media channels. He urged people to seek the truth and cautioned against being swayed by misinformation. In response to accusations regarding the Card 2.0 project, Dharmana clarified its objectives, highlighting its benefits for citizens in streamlining registration processes and ensuring transparency. He criticized attempts to politicize the initiative and called for a focus on its positive impact on governance.

Rayalaseema's Sweltering Heat Dampens Political Campaigns

Kurnool: Political parties and candidates are struggling their ways through the scorching temperatures this election season, with Nandyal emerging as one of the hottest summer spots in the country and mercury there consistently hits 45-46 degrees Celsius. Candidates and leaders are scheduling only morning and evening hours for open meetings and hold sessions at indoor venues during the peak hours. The Rayalaseema region, including Kurnool and Nandyal districts, faces a heat of 44-46 degrees Celsius. With just two weeks left for the May 13 elections after the filing of nominations, candidaes remain vigilant against sunstroke and other heat-related issues that could disrupt their campaign efforts. Kurnool city's T.G. Bharath launched his campaign well in advance and is limiting public interactions to evenings. Many candidates had started their informally over a year ago and are confident of reaching their target audience without having any midday engagements. Kurnool LS candidate BY Ramaiah from YSR Congress emphasizes the importance of a planned schedule despite the heat. He takes a break from 2pm to 5 pm and carries with him refreshments like buttermilk and water not only for himself but also for those accompanying him. Nandyal MLA Ravi Chandra Kishore Reddy refuses to let the heat wave halt his campaign efforts. He personally visits every house to highlight the YSrc government's achievements. Having already conducted extensive tours during the Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam, the focus of such candidates is on reinforcing the positive impacts of their previous work. Finance minister Buggana Rajendranath is adhering to strict time schedules to avoid the harsh weather in Dhone, a region known for its mining activity and above-average temperatures. Campaign tours are organised from 8 to 11:30 in the morning and 5 to 8 in the evenings. YSRC candidates rely on support from those who have benefited from government programmes and utilize social media platforms for campaigning during peak heat hours. Nandyal MP Pocha Brahmananda Reddy, a farmer, brushes off concerns about the weather, stating that such conditions are routine for them during times of agricultural activities. We continue our campaign activities with minimal strain despite the hot and humid weather, he says.

Travel tips: These popular temples of Andhra Pradesh attract foreigners also, show magnificent architecture

Every part of India has its unique characteristics, some of which are also known for their religious places. One such state is Andhra Pradesh of South India where you will get to see one or the other temple at every nook and corner. Here you will find temples of all the revered gods and goddesses of Hindu religion. Along with religious faith, the temples here are also known for their architecture. These temples built centuries ago are now known for tourism and even foreigners come here to see them. Today in this episode, we are going to tell you about some popular temples of Andhra Pradesh, which are visited by lakhs of devotees from almost every corner of the country and you should also visit once. Let us know about these temples... Kanaka Durga Temple Indrakeeladri is a very beautiful hill in Vijayawada city of Andhra Pradesh. The holy Krishna river flows along this hill and the Kanaka Durga temple of Maa Durga is built on its banks. Special worship is done here during Navratri. People have great faith in this temple of Goddess Durga. There is a large gathering of devotees here. There is a huge celebration here on the day of Dussehra and on this day pilgrims take a holy dip in the Krishna river. Kanak Durga Temple in Andhra Pradesh is one of the many Shaktipeeths located in the country. The goddess is installed here in her Mahishasuramardini form, along with the idol of the slain demon king Mahishasura is also present here. People believe in this temple that the wishes of every devotee who comes here are fulfilled. That's why thousands of devotees come here every year to have darshan. Venkateswara Temple Tirupati Tirupati Balaji Temple, located on the Tirumala hill in Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, is one of the major temples and religious places of Andhra Pradesh where lakhs of devotees come every year to have darshan of Venkateshwara and fulfill their wishes. Tirupati Balaji Temple is highly recognized among the people of Hindu religion. The glory of this temple is immense. It is said that by visiting Tirupati once in life, life becomes successful. Built at a height of 853 feet above Sumrdi level, this temple is also called the Temple of Seven Hills because of the seven peaks on the hill. This is the richest temple in the country in terms of charity and religion. Every year crores of rupees are donated to this temple. Every day 50 thousand to 1 lakh devotees reach the temple to have darshan of Venkateswara, while on special occasions the number of pilgrims goes up to 5 lakh. Lepakshi Temple Lepakshi Temple is a major tourist destination in Andhra Pradesh. Lepakshi Temple, located in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, is also known as Veerabhadra Temple and Hanging Temple. Lepakshi Temple is famous for its mysterious stories as well as the Hanging Pillars. It is said that a glimpse of the history of the Vijayanagara Empire can also be seen in this temple. Here you will also see the footprints of Mother Sita. Apart from architectural importance, the temple is also an important pilgrimage site of Lord Shiva as per Skanda Purana. Lepakshi is a temple which attracts not only pilgrims but also art lovers. Srikalahasti Temple Srikalahasti Temple is located in Chittoor district of Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. The temple of Srikalahasti is extremely popular among the devotees who visit this temple along with the Tirupati temple. This temple is 36 km from Tirupati. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva which holds immense religious importance for Hindus and was built in the year 1516 by King Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire. The entrance to the temple offers stunning views and has intricate carvings of many mythological paintings. This magnificent temple is often referred to as Kailasa and Kashi of the South. The temple represents one of the five elements and that is air. Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is built on the Nallamala hills of Srisailam in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. These huge hills are considered to be the abode of God. It is said that Shiva is everywhere here. This temple is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, hence this place has special significance. Lord Rama himself had established the Sahasralinga here, while the Pandavas had established the Panchapandava Linga in the courtyard of the temple. Ranganath Temple Situated on the banks of Pennar River in Nellore, Ranganatha Temple is one of the most revered temples of Andhra Pradesh. Ranganatha Temple, dedicated to Ranganathaswami Swami, is considered to be the oldest temple in the area and attracts a large number of devotees. Let us tell you that along with its religious activities, this temple is also known for its beautiful architecture and exquisite carvings, which make it a very special place for devotees as well as art lovers and tourists. Whenever you come here, you will be able to see the idol of Lord Sri Ranganathaswamy, the presiding deity of the temple, as well as a hall decorated with intricate carvings in which seven gold vessels are kept. Kolanu Bharati Temple Kolanu Bharati Temple in Andhra Pradesh is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati and is a very sacred pilgrimage site. An ancient Shivalinga is also present in this temple complex, for whose darshan thousands of tourists come every day. Apart from this, there is a statue of Kaal Bhairav in this temple complex which is considered a very sacred statue. The age-old tradition of Aksharashim is still followed in this ancient temple. The temple complex also has a Shivalinga, known as Sapta Linga Kshetra, and an idol of Kaal Bhairava that guards the area. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Lok Sabha Polls: Women's Representation Remains Low in Telangana

Hyderabad : In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, women's representation continues to lag, with only six women candidates from major parties vying for seats. Among the prominent parties, including BJP, BRS, and Congress, the number of women in the electoral fray remains low. The Congress party has nominated three women candidates, while BJP and BRS have fielded two and one respectively. Out of the total 51 candidates from major political parties, women make up a mere 12 percent. Congress has fielded Patnam Sunitha Reddy for the Malkajgiri constituency and Kadiyam Kavya for Warangal and Athram Suguna for Adilabad. BJP's nominees include Komeplla Madhavilatha for Hyderabad and DK Aruna for Mahabubnagar parliamentary constiruency. BRS, on the other hand, has fielded Malothu Kavitha as its sole female candidate for Mahabubabad. Reflecting on past Lok Sabha Elections, the trend of low female participation persists. In the 2014 elections, only one woman contested, K Kavitha from BRS, who clinched victory from Nizamabad. In 2019, while the number slightly increased, it remained inadequate. Kavitha contested from Nizamabad again and Maloth Kavitha from Mahabubabad, Renukha Chowdhury from Congress in Khammam, and DK Aruna from BJP in Mahabubnagar. Bangaru Shruthi from BJP also contested from Nagarkurnool.

120 Andhra Pradesh mandals likely to face heatwave today

VIJAYAWADA: As many as 47 mandals in the State are likely to reel under severe heatwave, while 120 mandals are likely to experience heatwave-like conditions on Monday. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty wind speeds reaching 30 -40 kmph likely at isolated places over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP) on Monday and Tuesday. Heatwave is likely to prevail at isolated places across the State for the same period with hot, humid, and discomfort weather. The IMD said that heatwave will prevail over Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh for the next five days, the IMD said. On Sunday, Andhra Pradesh largely experienced hot and humid conditions with daytime temperatures being above 40 degrees C at most places. Nandikotkuri in the Nandyal recorded the highest daytime temperature of 45.9 degrees C followed by Guduru in the Kurnool district at 45.5 degrees C, Ramabhadrapuram in Vizianagaram at 45.2 degrees C.

Mercury levels to soar above 45Celsius, heatwaves likely in Telangana

HYDERABAD: The IMD said that the state is likely to experience heatwaves as temperatures are expected to soar above 45Celsius in the next three days. As per an IMD report, a cyclonic circulation over Maharashtra and south Chhattisgarh has become less marked and the state will experience light to moderate rains at isolated places for next two days, after which dry weather will prevail. The IMD said that heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail in 21 districts including Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Jagtial, Rajanna Sircilla, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahbubababad, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal districts for next three days till May 1 and a partial yellow and orange alert has been issued for possible severe and extreme heatwave conditions. Hyderabad is likely to experience a partly cloudy sky with maximum and minimum temperatures of 40.9Celsius and 28.7Celsius respectively, for the next 48 hours. As of Sunday, Nalgonda recorded the highest maximum temperature of 45.4Celsius, followed by Bhadradri Kothagudem nad Mulugu at 45.3Celsius and Jayashankar Bhupalpally at 45.2Celsius, as per the Telangana State Development and Planning Society (TSDPS). The maximum temperatures statewide remained above 42Celsius in all the 33 districts and Hyderabad recorded the highest maximum temperature of 43.1Celsius in Charminar.

YSRCs multiple capitals decision foolish: Nara Lokesh

GUNTUR: Establishing multiple cities as capitals is one of the most foolish decisions of the YSRC government, TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said in an interview with TNIE. Exuding confidence that he will win the Mangalagiri Assembly seat, the former IT minister said he implemented 29 welfare and development schemes for the people of the constituency in the past four years and 11 months. On lessons learnt after the 2019 defeat, Lokesh said the TDP began aggressively countering YSRCs false propaganda. Stating that the ruling party has failed to maintain a balance between welfare and development, he assured that the TDP will provide 20 lakh jobs to the youth, which will in turn improve the economy of the State by two-and-a-half times. With only a few weeks left for the elections, how is your election campaign in Mangalagiri? I covered 3,132 km as part of my Yuva Galam Padayatra across the State to know the peoples problems. Now, I am fully concentrated on my own Assembly constituency to reach out to the people. I am going on a Statewide tour next week to interact with the youth. Since the inception of Mangalagiri constituency, the TDP won the seat in 1983 and 1985 only. What made you choose Mangalagiri to contest in the first place? I am a third generation politician. I did not want to go for a safe seat. I always believe that one should take a tough seat, fight hard and win to prove oneself. I failed in my first attempt as I did not have enough time and I was not able to win the trust of people of Mangalagiri in 2019. Since the day I lost, Ive been working hard and serving the people of Mangalagiri to win their trust for the past four-years-and-11-months. I am confident that they elect me with a huge majority this time. After the 2019 defeat, what changes did you make in your election strategy? We are now able to aggressively counter the false propaganda unleashed by the ruling dispensation against us. They are very good at false propaganda. Well that is something probably we need to learn from them. How to tell a lie and convince people so effectively. When former minister YS Vivenkananda Reddy was assassinated, the TDP was blamed for it. When the CBI began inquiry, it is Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddys own family member YS Avinash Reddy, who is again contesting from Kadapa as an MP, was named in the chargesheet. Jagan has destroyed the State economically. There are no employment opportunities. Youth have become disillusioned and they are not able to focus on things. If you observe, the ganja menace has gone up substantially. There is a need to get them out of its influence, and provide a good ecosystem to the youth of Andhra Pradesh, reintegrate back and they will definitely get jobs and thats what we are aiming to do now. The YSRC has fielded Murugudu Lavanya, who hails from the weaver community, against you. How confident are you to win against the YSRC candidate? I have served all the sections of people in Mangalagiri without any discrimination. In the last four years, I have implemented 29 welfare and development schemes in the constituency with my own funds. I believe that I have reached out to the people, cutting across the caste and religious lines. The people will certainly give their massive mandate to me this time. What about the influence of local factor in the election? At the end of the day, it is a matter of fact that I was not born here. I was born and brought up in Hyderabad. Post bifurcation of the State, I shifted to Mangalagiri. I have been living here for the last eight years. My vote and my entire familys votes are registered here. So, Im as much local as everyone else in the constituency know. Actually, I believe that people will observe who has served them not local or local. What are the major issues of the people you observed at the ground level during your Yuva Galam Padayatra? The peoples answer to my question what are you expecting from the government? is Provide us jobs. Do whatever it takes to give us jobs. So, if you look at the promises we have given, our first promise in the manifesto is to create 20 lakh jobs, both in the private and public sector. Number two is, lack of basic infrastructure in every constituency. The YSRC government has completely neglected drinking water, roads and drainage system. When I was the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister, CC roads were laid to a length of 25,000 km across the State. We will create better infrastructure everywhere to improve the quality of living. Third is the prevalence of ganja. It has destroyed families. Now, Andhra Pradesh has become the net exporter of ganja to other States. If ganja is found in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and other States, it has come from Andhra Pradesh. We will put an end to ganja menace in the first 100 days of our government. These are the three major issues that Ive noticed. You are saying that job creation will be your top priority. If we take the IT sector, many companies are laying off their employees. In this scenario, do you think is it possible to create more jobs in IT sector? IT is one of many sectors. If you look at Andhra Pradesh, it is clearly a large State. Coastal based economy can be promoted in a big way. Each district has a focus area. If you look at Anantapur, automobiles is its focus area, electronics manufacturing in Chittoor, renewable energy and cement in Kurnool, like that. Every district has a focus area and IT is probably focused in Visakhapatnam. So, we believe that we have the ecosystem already in place. A lot of companies got seated in our term and we can create a spin off companies in the entire ecosystem. We will create both blue and white collar jobs. It is not just focused on IT alone. There are huge opportunities in pharma sector in North Andhra. In IT, new jobs are being created through AI. Big Data is again a big sector. If you look at it, we had a specific policy for data centers and thats what we got Adanis for. We signed a project with them, unfortunately, it didnt go forward due to the current government. Thats the project, Im eager to restart, when the government changes. I think such sectors, if we focus on new sectors, we can create more jobs. After accusing YSRC of spending more money on welfare schemes and neglecting development of the State, the TDP has announced Super 6 and promised to double the allocation for the welfare schemes, which are very similar to what are already being implemented by the government. Is it correct? If you closely look at it, you know the difference. The monthly support that we promised to women, is not part of any current scheme. Provision of three free LPG cylinders a year is not part of any existing scheme. We have come up with our own manifesto after seeing the suffering of the people at the grass root level. The first of Super Six is to create 20 lakh jobs. That will enhance the economy by two-and-a-half times. What we are criticising this government is that it is making debts to spend on welfare. That is hurting the people. It is creating an inflation problem. Power charges have increased, taxes have gone up. Everything is going up. It should not be not like that. There should be a balance between welfare and development, and the TDP is known for it. If you look at the Deepam scheme, it was originally introduced by the TDP. Considering the existing financial position of the State, do you think balancing both welfare and development is practically possible? We had the same problem in 1995. In 1995, the State was in a huge debt. But the then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, with his growth vision and planning was able to turn around the State. We are more than capable of doing it and people have seen it. Is there still any friction among leaders and cadres of TDP, BJP and Jana Sena Party? It is very common that small issues crop up in a family time and again. But, as the head of the family, the father and the mother sit together and resolve the issues. Similarly, all the leaders of three parties will sit and resolve the issues if any. I am not saying every marriage is perfect. In fact, lets put it in the other way, no marriage is perfect. Every marriage has its issues. Again it all depends on how you resolve the issues. Minor issues keep coming, small clashes and differences, but at the end of the day, we resolve these issues and move on. Because our agenda is very clear, and it is to develop the State. If we have to develop the State, it is only possible with the tripartite alliance. In the present political scenario, do you think the vote transfer will occur as successfully as expected? One 100%. We expect 100% vote transfer to avoid split in anti-incumbency vote to ensure the YSRCs defeat in the elections. Because, all the three parties are motivating their cadres explaining to them the importance and making sure even one vote doesnt go outside of the alliance. Unlike in other States, politicians in our State are using inflammatory language in their election speeches and even TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu. What is the need for it? I dont believe that Chandrababu Naidu is using inflammatory language, fundamentally. In fact, if you notice, he is one of the most balanced politicians in the country. He never takes anything for granted. There are certain brand annotations for every leader. For Jagan Mohan Reddy, it has been psycho as his brand annotation. And its because of his erratic behaviour. The three capital proposal is an erratic behaviour. Because you promised only one capital. While you were entering this premises, you saw Praja Vedika that had been destroyed by his government. It was legal, it was legally constructed, and he destroyed it. Because he is not of a stable mind. If you look at his policies, if you look at his behaviour, thats what we are explaining to the people. So, we are not using any inflammatory language during our electioneering to create a rift between castes, regions and religions. Thats not something the TDP is into. With elections just a few weeks away, when can we expect the joint manifesto from the tripartite alliance? Thats something we are working on. All of us are committed to Babus Super Six policy. Thats something and thats related after the discussions with JSP chief Pawan Kalyan. We have come together to discuss it. Subsequently, we had a detailed discussion with the BJP. Thats the cornerstone of our election manifesto and we are going to announce it soon. If TDP comes to power, would you like to serve as IT Minister for the second time, or are you interested in any other ministry? Ill leave it to the tripartite alliance leadership. The alliance leadership has to decide it. Its not for me to comment on that. My job is to serve the people. In power or out of power, we are trained by Mr Naidu to do one thing, serve the people. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic also, we were busy serving the people. That is what we are hardwired to do and we will continue to do. We are going to remain very focused. As Lokesh, Im very focused on serving Mangalagiri people, people of Andhra Pradesh and Telugu people at large. That is the motto of TDP. Watch the full video of the interview on TNIE Videos on YouTube

Jagan Mohan Reddy's Navarathana schemes are merely nine deceptions: Chandrababu Naidu

Former AP CM Naidu criticized YSRCP's 'Nava Mosalu' manifesto at a Kurnool meeting, questioning its impact. People faced debt due to Jagan Reddy's promises. The parties are gearing up for the May 13 elections in Andhra Pradesh.

Parties step up pressure on rebels to withdraw from contest in Kurnool

KURNOOL: As the last date for withdrawal of nominations ends on Monday, the YSRC and tripartite alliance have stepped up pressure on disgruntled leaders who filed their nomination papers as rebels and independent candidates to opt out of the race to ensure that their vote bank does not split. As the Opposition TDP, JSP and BJP have formed an alliance, the multi-cornered contests in the Lok Sabha and Assembly contests is unlikely. Of the more than 10 candidates who filed their nominations for the Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, majority of them should be rebels who denied tickets. Some of the Assembly constituency incharges, who were denied tickets as part of seat sharing among tripartite alliance, entered the poll fray as rebels. Several official candidates of TDP seem to be finding it tough to persuade the rebels to withdraw from the contest. Speaking to TNIE, Kakaravada Chinna Venkataswamy, who filed his nomination paper as a TDP rebel from Nandikotkur, admitted that he was pressurised by the party leadership to opt out of the race before the end of the deadline. However, he seems to be reluctant to withdraw his nomination papers. There is no rebel threat to TDP candidates in Kodumur, Yemmiganur, Mantralayam, Nandikotkur, Nandyal and Adoni Assembly constituencies as the party leadership has prevailed upon the aspirants who failed to get tickets due to tripartite alliance, to strive for the victory of TDP-JSP-BJP combine in the elections. There is no disgruntlement among the TDP rank and file over the selection of candidates, asserted Vaikuntam Prabhakar Chowdary, TDP zone fifth election coordinator.

Severe Heatwave Grips State, Night Temperatures Soar

Hyderabad: As the sun set on Sunday, the heat did not seem to dissipate in Hyderabad and several other districts, with night temperatures recorded at a sweltering 37-39C and 36C at 9 pm. One person succumbing to sunstroke in Suryapet district, even as the mercury shot past the 45C mark. In Hyderabad, unlike what a typical weekend evening looks like, many prefer to stay indoors with air-conditioners and fans going full blast. The temperature outside is way too hot to be able to have a good time even at night. The breeze is warm and humid conditions make it unbearable. We decided to stay home this weekend, thanks to the AC. I'm sure fans and coolers are the best bet for many for the next couple of weeks, said Yashwanth Reddy M., a cricket fan who would otherwise spend time at an open-air screening during crucial matches. The relentless heat has prompted the India Meteorology Department-Hyderabad to issue an orange alert for several districts for Monday, including isolated pockets of Jagtial, Rajanna Sircilla, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahbubabad, Warangal, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, and Jogulamba Gadwal. The IMD warned that similar conditions are expected to continue, for five days. Several districts recorded extreme temperatures on Sunday. Madugulapally in Nalgonda district was the hottest at 45.4 Celsius. Close behind were Ashwapuram in the Kothagudem district and Mangapet in the Mulugu district, both recording 45.3C. Timmapur and Kothapalli Gori in Mulugu and Ibrahimpet in Nalgonda all recorded a maximum temperature of 45.2C, while Alubaka in Mulugu and Pangal in Wanaparthy district experienced temperatures of 45.1 Celsius.

Naidu Refutes Reports of Cutback in Muslim Reservations

Kurnool/Nellore : Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday made it a point to address concerns over the potential impact TDPs alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party will have on the Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh, in particular Kurnool and Nellore districts. Speaking to a large gathering of Muslims in Nellore, Naidu maintained that there will be no compromise on providing reservations to Muslims in Andhra Pradesh. Naidu pledged to engage senior advocates to safeguard their rights. The former chief minister accused YSR Congress-led government of spreading misinformation about the repeal of Muslim reservations under an NDA regime in AP. He maintained that NDA has never allowed any injustice towards any community. Chandrababu announced fresh promises to Muslim voters, including financial assistance of 1 lakh for every Haj pilgrim, free bus travel for women, three free cooking gas cylinders annually per family, and completing the remaining work on Gurukula schools for Muslim students within six months of an NDA victory. Addressing another meeting in Kowthalam of Kurnool district, the TDP chief criticised the ruling YSR Congress for favouring members of the Reddy community in selecting candidates. Naidu also promised to address migration issues, construct a 100-bed hospital, and resume construction of irrigation projects in the region. Regarding stalled projects, he said once TDP comes to power, it would complete projects like the Rajoli Banda Diversion Scheme, Vedavati and Gundrevula. In Kodumur constituency, Naidu reiterated his support for the Muslim community. He expressed concerns over potential revisions in the existing salary structure of employees, referring to it as reverse PRC. Partys MP candidate B. Nagaraju, Mantralayam and Kodumur assembly candidates N. Raghavendra Reddy and B Dastagiri and partys parliamentary segment in-charge P. Thikka Reddy were present.

Andhras Rayalseema region, parts of Odisha, WB in grip of heatwave: IMD

New Delhi: Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh and parts of Odisha were in the grip of a sizzling heat wave on Sunday, with Nandyal recording its maximum temperature at 45.6 degrees Celsius which was 4.6 notches above the seasons normal. The mercury touched 45.3 degrees Celsius in Mangapet in Telangana and 45.2 degrees in Kurnool Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Heat Wave Sweeps Rayalaseema, Rains Lash ASR District

Commuters cover themselves with scarves to escape the heat wave in Nellore (Photo: Deccan Chronicle) Visakhapatnam : Some parts in Rayalaseema region of AP suffered searing heat conditions for the second time in the season on Sunday. ASR district, however, witnessed thunderstorms, which lashed Paderu and Chintapalli for the second day. Visakhapatnam region remained cool as the sky remained overcast for the entire day. Visakhapatnam registered a temperature of 35.4 degrees Celsius while Kalingapatnam recorded 35.1 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest place in the state for the day. A report from IMD Amaravati said two places in AP recorded more than 45 degree Celsius temperatures on Sunday, the first time in April this year. People across the state felt the pinch of the rise in mercury levels, compelling many people to remain indoors for the entire day. On Sunday (April 28), Nandyal was the hottest in the state with 45.6C, followed by Kurnool (45.2C), Anantapur (44.1C), Jangamaheswarapuram (44C), Kadapa (43.6C), Nandigama (43C), Tirupati (42.9C) and Amaravati (42.2C). The remaining parts of the state recorded maximum temperatures between 39C and 41C. On Saturday (April 27), Nandyal was the hottest in the state with 44.9C, followed by Kurnool (44.5C), Anantapur (43.7C), Kadapa (43.4C), Jangamaheswarapuram (43.2C) and Tirupati (42.9C). Mercury levels are likely to rise above 45C at many places in Rayalaseema region and in some parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh during the first week of May, said Dr. S. Karuna Sagar, scientist at IMD Amaravati. Many political leaders rescheduled their campaign timing from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. However, in north coastal Andhra, the campaign went on for the entire day, as the temperature remained moderate.