Polycet-2024 Sees High Attendance

Vijayawada: The Polycet-2024 entrance exam for diploma courses in polytechnic colleges concluded smoothly across Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. The exam, held from 11 am to 1 pm at 442 centers statewide, witnessed a high turnout with 1,41,978 students appearing out of the registered 1,59,989 (88.74%).The exam's success is attributed to the collaborative efforts of various departments, including district collectors, police, medical, health, electricity, transport, and others. Suresh Kumar, principal secretary of the state skill development department, and Chadalavada Nagarani, commissioner of the technical education department and chairman of the state technical education training board, personally monitored the process by visiting various centers.Nagarani informed that the question paper's primary key will be available for download on the official website (https://apsbtet.ap.gov.in/) on April 30th. To ensure a swift process, results are expected to be released before May 10th. Additionally, necessary actions are underway to commence the academic year in the first half of June.

Jagans Navaratnalu Plus Manifesto Ups Sops Under Many Schemes

Vijayawada : Chief Minister and YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has unveiled the highly anticipated YSRC Manifesto 2024 Navaratnalu Plus on Saturday, promising to increase Amma Vodi amount from 15,000 to 17,000 per year, at his Camp Office in Tadepalli. He has continued with enhanced allotments or increased sops schemes like Kapu Nestham, zero interest loans, social security pensions, Rythu Bharosa, YSR Cheyutha, YSR Kapu Nestham, Shadi Tohfa, Housing Scheme and Aarogyasri. Interestingly, to attract Kapu and BC women, Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that 60,000 will be given in eight instalments under Kapu Nestham. He hiked Jagananna Amma Vodi to 85,000 over the next five years under which every mother from an underprivileged background who ensures that her children are attending school will now receive 17,000 per annum, unlike 15,000 per annum previously. Further, the Chief Minister has increased the flagship YSR Pension Kanuka from 3,000 to 3,500 per month, which will be delivered to the doorstep of all elderly, widows and disabled every month. Guaranteed income support of 80,000 will be provided to every farmers family for five years under YSR Rythu Bharosa at the rate of 16,000 per year, up from the previous 13,500. Under YSR Cheyutha, 4560-year-old BCs, SCs, STs and minority elder sisters will be given 75,000 in four instalments over the next five years. Under YSR EBC Nestam, 4560-year-old elder sisters belonging to economically backward classes will be given 60,000 in four instalments over the next five years. YSR Sunna Vaddi, YSR Kalyanamasthu and YSR Shaadi Tohfa schemes will continue as is for the next five years. YSR Free Crop Insurance, Sunna Vaddi Panta Runalu, Input Subsidy, and nine hours of free power supply per day will continue. Construction of food processing units will continue in all 26 districts, along with godowns and cold storages at the assembly constituency-level as per need. Aqua farmers with less than 10 acres land in the aqua zone will continue to avail power at only 1.5 per unit. The financial assistance under Jagananna Chedodu will continue to be 50,000. For employment and skill development of youth in AP, there will be a state-of-the-art Skill University in Tirupati, skill colleges in all 26 districts, and integrated skill hubs in all 175 constituencies to make youth job-ready. There will be a monthly internship of 2,500 for boys and 3,000 for girls while they undergo skill training in the skill institutions mentioned. A Startup Hub and an International VC Mentorship Cell will be set up in Visakhapatnam to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of the states youth. Notifications for competitive exams like Group 1 and Group 2 will be announced on a regular basis, with the exam being conducted according to a schedule similar to that of the UPSC. Families of ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and outsourced employees, who earn up to 25,000, will now be eligible to avail benefits of housing, healthcare and education under the Navaratnalu schemes. Revolutionary schemes like Jagananna Vidya Deevena, Vasati Deevena, Videsi Vidya Deevena, Vidya Kanuka, Jagananna Gorumudda, and measures such as tab distribution, IB curriculum and TOEFL, digital classrooms, and English-medium curriculum will continue. Further, upgradation of school infrastructure will go on through Mana Badi Nadu Nedu programme. Welfare hostels will continue to be constructed, ensuring top-notch infrastructure for students.

Jagan Picks Holes in Impossible Super Six Promises

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. (Twitter) Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. (Twitter) Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said the YSRC will adhere to its Three Capitals decision. Administration of the state will start from Visakhapatnam after winning the elections, he declared. He reiterated that Vizag will be the Executive Capital, Legislative Capital will continue to be in Amaravati and the Judicial Capital will come up in Kurnool. The CM described claims of Naidu to create wealth as false . Rs 1,50,718 crore are required to fulfil Super Six promises of Telugu Desam. It is just impossible, he underlined. Highlighting the statistical reality, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, (TD chief) Chandrababu Naidu frequently touts himself as a visionary leader capable of bolstering government revenues through economic policies. However, historical data paints a starkly different picture. The TD regimes from 1995 to 2004 and from 2014 to 2019 resorted to borrowing to meet revenue expenditure, he stated. The Chief Minister asserted that contrary to Chandrababu's propaganda, APs performance has improved, despite challenges like COVID. During his (Naidus) tenure, GSDP grew at a rate of 4.47 per cent, whereas under our leadership, it reached 4.83 per cent, he pointed out The YSRC chief refuted opposition parties charge that the state government has burdened people with excessive taxes. He explained: During 201419, the tax to GSDP ratio was 6.57 per cent. During 201924, it is 6.35 per cent. In other words, the tax burden on an individual is relatively lower compared to the individual's income during the present governments tenure. Jagan Mohan Reddy swore by the YSRC manifesto. It holds the same sacred value for me as the Holy Bible, Quran and Bhagavad Gita, he declared. He vowed to uphold every aspect of the manifesto with unwavering dedication. This is like the 2019 manifesto of which he has fulfilled 99.4 per cent of the promises. My principle is to only make commitments that I can fulfil. I will only say what I can do. I dont want to go down in history as someone who lied. I want to be a hero by keeping my word, he said. The CM said over the past 58 months, they have allocated total Rs 3.56 lakh crore to beneficiaries through DBT and non-DBT, maintaining complete transparency. How we have honoured our promises in the last 58 months will undoubtedly be remembered in history, he underlined.

BJP seeks fool-proof disbursal of pensions in AP

Vijayawada: BJP AP media in-charge and spokesperson Pathuri Nagabhushanam on Saturday demanded that the AP government make fool-proof arrangements for disbursement of social security pensions on May 1. Addressing media here on Saturday, he insisted that the state government deliver pensions to beneficiaries at their homes on May 1, as against the government's plan to distribute pensions on May 3, suggesting that officials should act proactively in the matter of pensions. Nagabhushanam held officials responsible for the deaths of over 30 people in April when pensioners had been forced to go to the respective offices under the hot sun to collect their pensions. Under the circumstances, the BJP spokesperson wanted the pensions to be delivered at doorsteps of pensioners in May.

Election Officials Warn Against Election Related Illegal Activity in NTR district

Vijayawada: In an effort to ensure a fair and transparent election in the NTR district, officials are stepping up their efforts to combat illegal activities, particularly the illicit transportation of liquor and money. A meeting was held at the collector camp office on Saturday to address this issue, with district collector S. Dilli Rao and police commissioner P.H.D. Ramakrishna leading the discussions. During the meeting, officials from various departments, including police, excise, special enforcement bureau, and revenue, presented their reports on enforcement actions and violations recorded between March 16 and April 26, 2024. The reports revealed that 38 individuals were arrested for the transportation of 1,052 litres of illicit liquor valued at Rs. 3.13 lakh, and 29 individuals were arrested for the transportation of ganja worth Rs. 16.88 lakh. District election officer Dilli Rao, in accordance with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), emphasised the importance of coordinated efforts among departments to intensify inspections and enforcement measures. He stressed the need for strict action against those found guilty of engaging in illegal activities. Police commissioner Ramakrishna discussed the surveillance on liquor establishments such as shops, distilleries, and bottling units, focusing on the analysis of CCTV footage by the Excise Control Centre. This measure aims to prevent the illegal transportation of liquor and money during the election period.

TD, YSRC and BJP never worked for the development of Vijayawada city: Babu Rao

Vijayawada: Ch. Baburao, the CPM Vijayawada central candidate, criticised the Telugu Desam (TD), YSRC, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for not working towards the development of Vijayawada city. During an election campaign held on Saturday in various divisions, Baburao demanded that these parties clarify the initiatives they have undertaken for the city's development during their respective tenures. Accompanied by CPI and Congress leaders, Baburao highlighted the lack of new industries, incomplete infrastructure projects such as flyover bridges and the Metro train, and the stalled Amaravati capital project as examples of the neglect faced by Vijayawada city in the past decade. He pointed out that no significant progress had been made in terms of new industries or projects for the city. Baburao praised the Left parties role in past urban development, citing their efforts in resolving long-standing issues like the Satyanarayanapuram railway line and advancing projects like the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) road. He emphasised that the Left parties are more aligned with the interests of workers and small traders and will continue to fight for the people rather than giving in to political pressures. The election campaign saw the participation of CPM, CPI leaders, B. Satya Babu, B. Ramana Rao, DBK. Rao, Prabhu Das, Sundara Ramaraju, and others.

Indian compounders dominate World Cup 3 with five medals, Jyothi stars with hat-trick of gold

Indian compounders dominate World Cup 3 with five medals, Jyothi stars with hat-trick of gold Asian Games champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam spearheaded India's dominance with a rare hat-trick of gold as compound archers lapped up five medals at the ongoing Archery World Cup Stage 1 here on Saturday. The world No. 3 Jyothi fought past tournament top seed Andrea Becerra of Mexico in a tight shoot-off finish 146-146 (9*-9) to become the second Indian after Deepika Kumari to secure triple gold medals in a World Cup. Three-time Olympian and former world No. 1 Deepika had achieved the incredible feat at Paris World Cup Stage 3 in June 2021. For Jyothi, it also matched her feat at the last year's Hangzhou Asian Games where the 27-year-old Vijayawada archer returned with three gold medals, winning individual, women's team and mixed team events. Youngster Priyansh capped India's spectacular outing in the compound section, by bagging his maiden World Cup medal in the form of a silver in the men's individual section. In his second Cup appearance, the 21-year-old found himself up against a formidable opponent in 2021 world champion Nico Wiener, who delivered a flawless performance, scoring a perfect 150 out of a maximum 150. The 27-year-old Austrian shot all 10s from 15 arrows to edge out the spirited Indian by three points. In the morning session, India underlined their supremacy in the non-Olympic compound category to make a clean sweep of team events, winning men's team, women's team and mixed team events with Jyothi featuring in two of them. Jyothi, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur dropped just four points to trounce Italy 236-225 in the women's compound team event to open their account with a gold medal. The men's team of Abhishek Verma, Priyansh and Prathamesh Fuge then went one step better as they missed just two points en route to defeating Netherlands' Mike Schloesser, Sil Pater and Stef Willems 238-231. The mixed team completed the sweep when the second-seeded Jyothi and Verma warded off a late resurgence from their Estonian rivals -- Lisell Jaatma and Robin Jaatma -- to win 158-157 in a thrilling finish. The top seeded women's compound team dropped just four points from 24 arrows to down sixth seeded Italy in the first match of the day. In the first three ends of six arrows each, Jyothi, Aditi and Parneet missed the perfect 10 only twice to take a handsome 178-171 lead over Marcella Tonioli, Irene Franchini and Elisa Roner. In the fourth end, the Indians dropped two points but it did not matter much as they nailed the gold with an 11-point margin. The men's team, who qualified as the fourth seed, put up a near flawless show to defeat their Dutch opponents. They began with a perfect round of 60 and dropped just two points in the next two ends, before sealing the win with another perfect 60 in the final set of six arrows. In the compound mixed team event, Jyothi and Abhishek took a three-point lead, starting off with a perfect round of 40. The three-point drop in the first end proved decisive for Estonian archers who went on to shoot three perfect rounds of 40 each but the Indians held their nerves to seal the issue. Leading 119-117, the Indian duo needed a minimum score of 39 points out of a maximum 40 in the final end. They did just that to bag the country's third gold. Jyothi then returned in the afternoon session to become the individual champion as well. The Indian struggled to get a perfect round in the first three ends as Andrea raced to an 88-87 lead. Jyothi finally managed a perfect round in the fourth end when she drilled in three 10s with two X (closer to the centre), while Andrea also matched the Indian to retain her one-point lead. In the fifth round, Andrea faltered under pressure to drop two points, while Jyothi scored a 29 to level it 146-all to force a shoot-off. Both shot nine-all in the shoot-off but Jyothi's arrow was closer to the inner-ring to seal her third gold. Medal rounds in the recurve section will be played on Sunday and India are eyeing two gold from the Olympic discipline. The Indian men's team will take on Olympic champions South Korea in the gold medal clash. Deepika is in fray for an individual medal and will play her semifinal against South Korean rival in the women's recurve section.

TDP Senior Leader Yanamala Krishnudu Joins YSRCP

Vijayawada: In a setback to the TDP at the time of Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state, the partys senior leader Yanamala Krishnudu has joined YSRCP in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday. He is the younger brother of former minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu. Andhra Pradesh will go to Assembly and Lok Sabha elections on May 13 and the results will be announced on June 4.

NDA Charge Sheet Against YSRC Government Full of Untruths

Vijayawada: YSRC leaders have said the charge sheet released by the Telugu Desam, BJP and Jana Sena alliance against the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy rule was totally false and untrue. The leaders including former minister Ravela Kishore Babu, former chairperson of AP Womens Commission Vasireddy Padma and YSRC Grievance Cell president Narayana Murthy were addressing a press meet at the YSRC Central party office. Kishore Babu said the alliance leaders were trying to create confusion among the people as they were unable to digest the fact that Jagan is going to win the election again. He said that the cover page was titled Raktacharitra (blood history) but the real Raktacharitra was made by the Telugu Desam in Karamchendu and Neerukondas through the Dalits massacre. The Dalits never forgot that massacre and people can't forget the brutal murder of Vangaveeti Ranga in Vijayawada. YSRC Grievance Cell president Narayana Murthy said they will not tolerate Chandrababu's motivated propaganda along with green media, alleging that no good was done to BCs in the YSRC government. The development of BCs is visible as CM Jagan Mohan Reddy is treating BCs as Backbone Classes. He said Naidu wanted BCs to be stuck in caste professions but Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy introduced fee reimbursement and made BCs as engineers and doctors. CM Jagan Mohan Reddy took another 10 steps forward and brought BCs into development in all ways. Murthy stated that Jagan Mohan Reddy instilled self-respect in them by giving the slogan that BC is not a backward class but a backbone class. Former chairperson of the Women's Commission Vasireddy Padma said that BJP, TD and Jana Sena, who did not dare to contest the elections as a single party, are hurrying to come up with a charge sheet with fake allegations. She recalled that Chandrababu was caught red-handed in the Skill, Inner Ring Road, FiberNet IMG Bharat and Vote for Note scams. What is the use of the chargesheet on Jagan Mohan Reddy who did not give a chance for corruption and scandal in the YSRC government, she asked

Archery WC: India's Jyothi Surekha Vennam Bags Historic Hat-Trick of Gold Medals

Archery WC: India's Jyothi Surekha Vennam Bags Historic Hat-Trick of Gold Medals Asian Games champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam's incredible presence of mind helped her bag a stunning hat-trick of gold medals as she spearheaded India's dominance at the ongoing Archery World Cup Stage 1 in Shanghai here on Saturday. The world No. 3 Jyothi fought past tournament top seed Andrea Becerra of Mexico in a tight shoot-off finish 146=146 (9*-9) to complete a rare feat during the season-opening global showpiece. It also matched her feat at the last year's Hangzhou Asian Games where 27-year-old Vijayawada archer returned with a hattrick of gold medals, winning individual, women's team and mixed team events. In the morning session, India underlined their supremacy in the non-Olympic compound category to make a clean sweep of team events, winning men's team, women's team and mixed team events with Jyothi featuring in two of them. Jyothi, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur dropped just four points to trounce Italy 236-225 in the women's compound team event to open their account with a gold medal. The men's team of Abhishek Verma, Priyansh and Prathamesh Fuge then went one step better as they missed just two points en route to defeating Netherlands' Mike Schloesser, Sil Pater and Stef Willems 238-231. The mixed team completed the sweep when the second-seeded Jyothi and Verma warded off a late resurgence from their Estonian rivals -- Lisell Jaatma and Robin Jaatma -- to win 158-157 in a thrilling finish. The women's compound team, who qualified as top seed, dropped just four points from 24 arrows to down sixth seeded Italy in the first match of the day. In the first three ends of six arrows each, Jyothi, Aditi and Parneet missed the perfect 10 only twice to take a handsome 178-171 lead over Marcella Tonioli, Irene Franchini and Elisa Roner. In the fourth end, the Indians dropped two points but it did not matter much as they nailed the gold with an 11-point margin. The men's team, who qualified as the fourth seed, put up a near flawless show to defeat their Dutch opponents. They began with a perfect round of 60 and dropped just two points in the next two ends, before sealing the win with another perfect 60 in the final set of six arrows. In the compound mixed team event, Jyothi and Abhishek took a three-point lead, starting off with a perfect round of 40. The three-point drop in the first end proved decisive for Estonian archers who went on to shoot three perfect rounds of 40 each but the Indians held their nerves to seal the issue. Leading 119-117, the Indian duo needed a minimum score of 39 points out of a maximum 40 in the final end. They did just that to bag the country's third gold. Jyothi then returned in the afternoon session to become the individual champion as well. The Indian struggled to get a perfect round in the first three ends as Andrea raced to an 88-87 lead. Jyothi finally managed a perfect round in the fourth end when she drilled in three 10s with two X (closer to the centre), while Andrea also matched the Indian to retain her one-point lead. In the fifth round, Andrea faltered under pressure to drop two points, while Jyothi scored a 29 to level it 146-all to force a shoot-off. Both shot nine-all in the shoot-off but Jyothi's arrow was closer to the inner-ring to seal her third gold. Priyansh is also in the hunt for an individual medal in the compound segment. Medal rounds in the recurve section will be played on Sunday and India are eyeing two gold from the Olympic discipline. The Indian men's team will take on Olympic champions South Korea in the gold medal clash. Deepika Kumari is in fray for an individual medal and will play her semifinal against South Korean rival in the women's recurve section.

Naidu Misleading Public With Unachievable Promises in TDP Manifesto: Jagan

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan on Saturday accused the TDP president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of misleading the people in the State with unfulfilled promises in the name of Super-6. Drawing a comparison between the TDP and YSRCP rule in 2014-2019 and 2019-2024 respectively through a power-point presentation at Tadepalle party office in Guntur, he said the YSRCP continued welfare schemes and infrastructure initiatives in spite of facing financial constraints due to Covid-19. Referring to Naidus allegations that the YSRCP was imposing more taxes, he refused the formers allegations saying that the TDP president was only misleading people by telling lies. It is the responsibility of people to know the reality, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, making it clear that he would not tell lies and would execute whatever feasible only. The YSRCP implemented the schemes like Kapu Nestham, House Pattas, Gorumudha that were not included in the manifesto released by the YSRCP in the 2019 elections, he explained. We are not like Naidu, who dupes people with unfulfilled promises. Whatever is possible for the benefit of people, the YSRCP will certainly implement it, he said, adding that no State government in the country executed the welfare schemes on DBT mode directly benefiting the people without the involvement of anyone.

Jagan Spells Out 9 Promises in YSRCP Manifesto

Vijayawada: The much-awaited manifesto-2024 of YSRCP with nine crucial promises was released by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at Tadepalle party office in Guntur on Saturday. Promising to continue existing welfare schemes aimed at benefiting people across the State, he said that the pensions to elderly persons was increased from Rs.3,000 to Rs.3,500. The pension amount of Rs.250 will be increased in January 2028 and another Rs.250 will be increased in January 2029 totaling to Rs.3,500. No State government in the country was giving pensions to elderly persons like in Andhra Pradesh. The YSRCP government was spending Rs.24,000 crore for giving pensions to 66 lakh while neighbouring Telangana was spending only Rs.12,200 crore for giving pensions to 43 lakh people. As many as 66 lakh elderly people are presently getting a pension of Rs.3,000 each, he said. Stating that the amount of Ammavadi scheme would be increased from Rs.15,000 to Rs.17,000 while three lakh people would get loans under YSR Zero Paisa Interest scheme. The amount of YSR Cheyutha was increased to 1.50 lakh from the existing Rs.75,000 and it would be extended in four phases. Assuring that all the eligible people, who are not having houses, would get house pattas, he said priority would be given to education, health, women empowerment, among other sectors. Referring to the welfare of farmers in the State, he said the amount of Rythu Bharosa was increased from Rs.67,500 to Rs.80,000 each benefitting 53 lakh farmers. The Rythu Bheema scheme would also continue for farmers. One new initiative introduced in the manifesto was declaring a habitat with dalit population of over 500 as a separate panchayat. Highlights in two-pagemanifesto Pension increased from Rs.3,000 to Rs.3,500 Rythu Bharosa increased from Rs.67,500 to Rs.80,000 Ammavadi scheme increased from Rs.15,000 to Rs.17,000 Three lakh women to get loans at zero paisa interest rate Kalyanamasthu and Shaadi Tofa will continue . YSR Bhima to gig workers.

AP Assembly Elections: YS Jagan Releases YSRCP Manifesto

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released YSRCP Manifesto at the partys headquarters in Tadepalli for the ensuing Assembly Elections in the state on Saturday. YS Jagan said that the YSRCP has accorded top priorities to the manifesto for the last 58 months.

APCC chief using YSRs name for political gains: Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy

VIJAYAWADA: Taking strong exception to the remarks made by Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief YS Sharmila that Additional Advocate General Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy was behind adding the name of late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy in the cases filed by the CBI, the AAG said she was using her fathers name for political gains. Addressing a press conference on Friday, the AAG expressed concern over the allegations levelled against him by Sharmila, despite knowing the fact in the cases filed by the CBI, the circumstances that led to the addition of YSRs name in the FIRs. Recalling the incidents that happened way back in 2011, he said it was the then Congress MLA Shankar Rao and TDP leader Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu, who made the allegations and filed petitions in the courts, which led to the addition of YSRs name in the CBIs FIRs and chargesheets. Sudhakar Reddy urged Sharmila to come up with facts instead of making baseless allegations against him. I am ready for an open debate on this issue. YSR was made an accused prior to my petition in the High Court, which was all about seeking an explanation as to why the CBI failed to add the names of concerned ministers and secretaries, who issued GOs favouring Sandur power company. While the CBI included YSRs name in the FIR on August 17, 2011, I filed the petition in December. Sharmila dragged me into the episode without any knowledge or with an intention to take on her brother YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, he said. The AAG further said he was moved by the plight of Jagan, who was targeted by the Congress government, which used the CBI and Enforcement Directorate for it. Leaving my law practice, I voluntarily filed the petition in the High court questioning the targeted probe of the investigation agency. Sharmilas charges against me and my involvement in the issue are baseless, he asserted.

Pawan Kalyan vows to release common manifesto of TDP-JSP-BJP alliance on April 30

VIJAYAWADA : Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan promised to unveil the common manifesto of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance on April 30. He assured that all promises made will be fulfilled if the NDA is voted to power. Launching a scathing attack on the ruling YSRC while addressing a public rally in Razole on Friday, the actor-politician accused Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of propagating lies and misleading people by claiming that welfare schemes will be stopped if the NDA is voted to power. We will implement even better welfare initiatives than the ones launched under the current YSRC government, he asserted. He criticised the YSRC president burdening the State with debts under the pretext of disburing welfare schemes. Pawan slammed Jagan for making derogatory remarks against his sister and APCC chief YS Sharmila. He questioned how a person who insults his own family members could ensure the safety of women in the State. Promising to address the grievances of farmers within a year once the NDA comes to power, he said, The farming community in Konaseema region has declared a crop holiday due to rising input costs and low procurement prices. We will stand by the farmers, revive water users associations, and ensure remunerative prices. Pawan, who is contesting the Pithapuram Assembly constituency, vowed to develop Konaseema as a prosperous region by promoting industries, tourism, and infrastructure projects.

Jagan, Naidu betrayed people: Sharmila

VIJAYAWADA : Accusing Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of not implementing any election promises made to the people, APCC chief YS Sharmila said both TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan betrayed the people of the State in the name of Special Category Status (SCS). Addressing election meetings in Tiruvuru, Chintalapudi and Denduluru on Friday, Sharmila alleged that Jagan failed to develop even a single capital contrary to his announcement of setting up three capitals to promote balanced growth. The YSRC government has totally neglected agriculture and failed to generate employment opportunities for the youth. Jagan has cheated the people in the name of total prohibition, job calendar and Mega DSC, she observed. Taking a dig at Jagan for going to the people in the name of Siddham, Sharmila sought to know whether he is ready for making another Rs 8 lakh crore debts, to pledge Special Category Status and betray the people in the name of constructing Polavaram project. Stating that the completion of the irrigation projects taken up by former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy under Jalayagnam is part of the Navaratnalu programme announced by the YSRC, she said the Jagan government has failed to complete even a single project in the past five years. Alleging that the BJP was ruling the roost in the State despite not having a single MP or an MLA, she said Naidu, Jagan and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan had become the slaves of the saffron party. Voting for the YSRC or TDP or JSP is nothing but voting for the BJP, he observed. Vote is your weapon. Take money from whomever offers as it is all your money. But think while casting your vote, she said, adding that the Congress will provide SCS to the State for 10 years if it comes to power at the Centre.

Andhra Pradesh: Pupils with special needs pick computers over scribes

VIJAYAWADA : Persevering several obstacles, 11 visually impaired and two orthopedically impaired students stood tall in the SSC results. It is worth mentioning that these students undertook the examination without the assistance of a scribe, relying instead on specially designed computer software. All the students were trained on Computers at Rural Development Trust (RDT), Ananthapuram. Government Exams director D Devananda Reddy said that nearly 3,000 students with special needs appeared for the exam, of them around 1,000 students utilised the scribe facility. He affirmed their readiness to facilitate scribe-less exams by offering digital paper to any student with special needs. Among the top performers, Ramannagari Bhargavi from Tenegallu village of Anantapur, an orthopaedically impaired student, emerged as the highest scorer, securing an impressive 429 out of 500 with an overall percentage of 85.8% in this category. Bhargavis outstanding performance was marked by exemplary scores in each subject, with notable achievements in Telugu (87), English (90), Mathematics (83), Science (91), and Social Studies (78). Her consistent excellence underscores her dedication and academic prowess, earning her recognition as one of the top achievers in the examination. Following closely behind, Kuruba Deepika from Madapuram village in Sri Sathya Sai district, a visually challenged girl, showcased exceptional resilience by securing an impressive 415 marks (83%). In addition to Bhargavi and Deepika, several visually impaired students achieved remarkable success in the SSC exams. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Senior Advisor Ram Kamal emphasised that scribes cannot read the minds of visually impaired students, and relying on them may hinder students ability to secure future employment opportunities. He advocated for every student to transition from the conventional scribe system to computers. Visually challenged students Arava Ravi Eswar (387), Challa Nirmala (376) from Ramasagaram village of Sri Satya Sai district, Joharapuram Sainath (361) from Nagaruru of Kurnool district, Bestha Meghana (356) from Kuntimaddi village of Sri Satya Sai district, Gatlu Sravani (353), Vadde Naveen Kumar (352), Kattubadi Mallika(334) from Shabhaspuram village of Kurnool district, Nagarajugari Suma (319) from Kurnool district, Patan Madiha (300) from Kadiri village of Sri Satya Sai district and Sajjala Dileep (262) from Anantapur and Anubolu Guruswamy (274), an orthopaedically impaired, demonstrated commendable performance in the exams showcasing their unwavering commitment to academic excellence. Speaking to TNIE, Commissioner of School Education S Suresh Kumar expressed his satisfaction with the remarkable achievements of children with special needs, highlighting their perseverance, determination, and unwavering commitment to academic excellence. He emphasised that initiatives aimed at fostering self-confidence among these students are crucial and represent a significant step forward in encouraging and providing facilities to support their education. He assured that they would be encouraged to appear for Intermediate exams on computers.

Fierce ballot battle on cards in Gannavaram

VIJAYAWADA : Gannavaram Assembly segment is expected to witness an intense poll battle between two-time MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, who is aiming for a hat-trick, and businessman-turned-politician Yarlagadda Venkata Rao, who is contesting for the second time to record his maiden victory. After Gudivada, Vijayawada East and Mylavaram, Gannavaram Assembly constituency is another strong bastion of the Kamma community in the united Krishna district. The constituency was established in 1955, as per the Delimitation Orders and late Comrade Puchalapalli Sundarayya was the first legislator from Communist Party of India (CPI). The Assembly segment later became a stronghold for many parties such as Indian National Congress and Telugu Desam. In the 2019 elections, incumbent Vamsi contested on the TDP ticket and defeated the then YSRC candidate Yarlagadda Venkata Rao, who joined the party back in 2018, by a thin margin. After YSRC came to power, Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan switched his loyalties to the ruling party, following which Yarlagadda left the party and joined TDP. Yarlagadda Venkata Rao and Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan filed their nominations on April 24 and 25 respectively. While the sitting MLA Vamsi promised welfare and development to the people of Gannavaram constituency, largely banking on the charisma of Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Yarlagadda was confident of victory and assured of special measures to tackle the unemployment in the constituency if voted to power. It is to be remembered that Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan had won the seat in the 2014 and 2019 elections under the Telugu Desam banner, and strengthened his base in the constituency. He is hopeful of retaining the seat with the YSRC ticket. Yarlagadda Venkata Rao, on the other hand, rose as an influential leader with his charity and social services in the constituency. I am aware of every nook and corner in Gannavaram Assembly constituency. People are eagerly waiting to cast their vote in favour of TDP as they suffered a lot in the YSRC regime, he stated. Gannavaram constituency is a mix of rural and urban voters and the two leaders are carrying out vigorous campaigns in Vijayawada rural mandal, Unguturu, Gannavaram and Bapulapadu mandals. Of the total 2.76 lakh votes, around one lakh voters are located in nine villages under Vijayawada rural mandal and the candidate who gains the hold of these villages can get an easy victory. An overview 2,76,989 - Total voters 1,33,252 - MALE 1,43,725 - FEMALE 12 - TRANSGENDER Party Candidate Total votes TDP Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan 1,03,881 YSRC Yarlagadda Venkatrao 1,03,043

Vijayawada: SAMARTH app useful to effectively monitor law & order issues, says CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena - The Hans India

Vijayawada: SAMARTH app useful to effectively monitor law & order issues, says CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena The Hans India

CGST Officials Destroy Cigarettes Worth Rs 6 Crore

The increase in prices will in turn lead to increasing the government revenue by 7 percent (Photo: DC) The increase in prices will in turn lead to increasing the government revenue by 7 percent (Photo: DC) Vijayawada: Central GST (CGST) officials led by commissioner Sadhu Narasimha Reddy destroyed fake branded cigarettes valued at Rs 6 crore. The CGST had earlier seized these cigarettes while being smuggled or for evasion of taxes. Officials destroyed the cigarettes at the Jindal Waste Energy Plant in Yadlapadu mandal of Palnadu district, after getting all the necessary permits. Narasimha Reddy said they have been continuously organising checks in West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts, which come under the Guntur CGST Commissionerate, against illegal transportation of various products. The commissioner said they have detected tax evasion worth 403 crore and collected tax of Rs 278 crore during the last financial year.

Senior YSRC Leader Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad Quits Party

Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad Rao Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad Rao Vijayawada: YSRC senior leader and former minister Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad quit the ruling party on Friday, expressing his unhappiness with the party high command. In his resignation letter, Vara Prasad said on joining the YSRC, he had been made an MLC. He said the party high command promised to make him an MLC again, but it did not do so. With the elections coming, he said he had been expecting the ruling partys MLA ticket from Prathipadu or Tadikonda. But he did not get the ticket from either of the constituencies. Vara Prasad had been elected as MLA from Tadikonda twice as a candidate of the Congress party. He had also worked as a minister during one of the Congress regimes.

CEO Mukesh Meena Asks SPs, CPs, and Sector Officers of All Districts To Use SAMARTH App

Vijayawada: Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Meena has said that the SAMARTH (Security Arrangement Mapping Analysis Response Tracking Hub) mobile app is very useful for taking immediate action and handling law and order issues in the general elections in AP on May 13. He directed SPs, CPs and sector officers to use the app, saying it is a smart and quick policing tool that has clearly demarcated and mapped of critical and common polling stations in it, so that mobile parties as also the striking and special striking teams can be dispatched immediately in case of trouble, and the location of police forces can be tracked through Google map from the control room. He praised SP Vakul Jindal of Bapatla for developing the policing mobile app for this election and using it experimentally in Bapatla district. On Friday, Vakul Jindal met Meena at the state secretariat in Velagapudi and explained the uniqueness and features of the SAMARTH mobile app being used in their district. He said that this app developed by the core IT department of the district is being used experimentally in the district from April 22 and it was giving good results. Through this app, police officers can call and issue orders simultaneously to 2000 policemen in the district in one sweet go. The app could function even if the mobile does not have an internet signal and police personnel could be sent alerts and notifications. He said the petitions related to the elections can be sent to police officers through the app and they can be monitored from time to time. Vakul Jindal explained to the CEO that the app served as a powerful, robust and real-time application for district police officers to track locations of personnel, identify critical and common polling stations, call the control room directly from the app, and immediately reach police forces in troubled areas. He said that the details and phone numbers of the police officers and personnel of the entire district are included in the app, so that the real-time location of the police officers and personnel is tracked from time to time. Additional CEOs P. Koteswara Rao and M.N. Harendhira Prasad and Bapatla District IT Core SSI Naib Rasul and others participated in the meeting.

AP Women's Panel seeks improved facilities for women at polling booths

Vijayawada: AP Women's Commission chairperson Gajjala Venkatalakshmi met with Chief Election Commissioner Mukesh Kumar Meena. During the meeting, Venkatalakshmi requested the provision of separate queues, feeding rooms for mothers, emergency medical services, shelter, drinking water, ORS packets, and mobile toilets to cater to the needs of women, particularly those with infants, pregnant women, and the elderly. Chief Election Commissioner Mukesh Kumar Meena acknowledged the importance of these requirements and assured Venkatalakshmi that positive action would be taken. He instructed the district election officers to make the necessary arrangements to meet these demands. In addition to the improved facilities, Venkatalakshmi also sought the election commission's permission to allow the AP state women commission to meet with women victims and offer them support and consolation.

Pawan Kalyan says red sander smugglers in Pithapuram

Kakinada: Jana Sena chief and film star Pawan Kalyan has alleged that rivals in the other party have sent 50 to 60 red sanders smugglers into the Godavari districts as he is contesting from Pithapuram Assembly constituency, . I am not afraid of such threats. I have come to politics leaving my fears, he declared while addressing several meetings in Konaseema district from atop his Varahi vehicle. The JS chief said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has frequently been saying that if the NDA alliance comes to power, welfare schemes will be stopped. He said the amount being spent on welfare schemes is not coming from Jagan Mohan Reddys or his own forefathers. The schemes are from peoples money, he declared. He regretted that individual clashes between Vangaveeti Ranga and Nehru in Vijayawada and Pilli Subhashchandra Bose and Thota Trimurtulu in Ramachandrapuram have to be seen as clashes between two castes. He found fault with such trends in society. Pawan Kalyan said a small stone had been hurled on Jagan Mohan Reddy amidst thousands of people. The police nabbed a youth. But when an auspicious chariot had been burnt at Antarvedi, the government could not find the accused. He observed that the person who threw the stone is mentally ill. He accused minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and his son Mithun Reddy of terrorising the people of Godavari district. I will not tolerate this, he declared. The JS chief demanded that ONGC, Gail and Cairn Energy replace their pipelines with safer ones. He demanded that CSR funds from these companies should be spent on development of the respective constituencies. Pawan Kalyan advised people not to fall for upma and idlis provided by the ruling YSRC. Amalapuram Lok Sabha candidate G. Harish Mathur and P. Gannavaram nominee D. Vara Prasad accompanied the JS chief.

Election observers to receive code violation complaints in Vijayawada

Complaints and representations from political parties, candidates and general public over election code violations to be recieved on all days between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. until May 13

11 dead in three separate road accidents across Telangana

WARANGAL/SURYAPET/SANGAREDDY : Celebrations turned into a tragedy when four Intermediate second-year students, all aged 19, died after a two-wheeler they were riding collided with a private bus on the outskirts of Yellanda village on the Warangal-Khammam highway late on Wednesday. Sources said that the boys were returning to Yellanda in Warangal district from Hanamkonda where they had gone to celebrate the completion of their Intermediate studies. The victims have been identified as P Ganesh, M Siddhartha, V Teja and P Anil Kumar, all hailing from Yellanda. Siddhartha and Anil were students of Wardhannapet government junior college while Teja and Ganesh studied at a private junior college in Hyderabad. While three of the victims died on the spot, the fourth succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at the MGM Hospital in Warangal. The impact of the collision was such that the bodies of the students were strewn across the highway. The accident resulted in a traffic jam stretching over one km on the highway. Police shifted the bodies to MGM Hospital for a postmortem examination. Wardhannapet S-I A Praveen Kumar said that a case has been registered under IPC Section 304(A) and an investigation is underway. Elsewhere in Durgapuram village of Kodad mandal, six people died and four others sustained injuries when the car they were travelling in crashed into a stationary lorry on the highway. The victims were identified as N Chandar Rao (55) and his wife Manikyamma (50), N Krishamraju (30), N Swarnakumari (20), J Srikanth (30) and Lasya (4). They were residents of L Govindapuram village of Bonakal mandal in Khammam district and were on their way to Vijayawada from Hyderabad. The four injured persons were shifted to Kodad area hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, a 33-year-old man was burnt alive after the car he was travelling in rammed a lorry near the Muthangi toll plaza in the wee hours of Thursday and caught fire.

BJP will scrap reservations by 2025 if it wins: Telangana CM

HYDERABAD : Alleging that the BJP and RSS have declared a war on the Constitution with the aim of scrapping reservations for SC, ST and OBC communities, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday said that the saffron party was hoping to win 400 seats to implement this agenda. The BJP is trying to win 400 seats so that it gets two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha. This will enable it to pass a Bill scrapping the reservation system. The RSS has a policy to abolish quotas by 2025, as mentioned by its leaders on numerous occasions, the chief minister alleged. The TPCC president was speaking after releasing a chargesheet against the BJP and its 10-year rule at the Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad along with AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi, co-in-charge Rohith Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC working president Mahesh Kumar Goud, ministers Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Konda Surekha, Ponnam Prabhakar and others. Warning the people that voting for the BJP would contribute to abolition of the reservation system in the country, the chief minister said that if the saffron party gets even a single seat in Telangana, it would deprive them of their rights. This election is a battle between upholding reservations and their abolition, Revanth said. He recalled that the BJP opposed implementation of the Mandal Commission report that recommended reservations for OBCs. At that time, its senior leader LK Advani toured the country in a rath spreading communal hatred so that attention was diverted from reservations, Revanth alleged. Whats in Cong chargesheet BJP accused of betraying Telangana by forcibly merging 211 villages of Khammam into AP BJP did not implement a single assurance as mandated in AP Reorganisation Act, like setting up of Bayyaram Steel Plant, Kazipet railway coach factory & 2,400 MW NTPC plant, alleges Cong What the Congress chargesheet said For every rupee of tax paid, Telangana gets back only 43 paise. In contrast, BJP gives Rs 7.06 to Bihar, Rs 2.73 to Uttar Pradesh, Rs 2.63 to Assam, and Rs 2.42 to Madhya Pradesh BJP did not release Rs 4,000 crore GST compensation due to Telangana, Rs 24,205 crore recommended by NITI Aayog and Rs 1,800 crore grant for the development of backward districts The saffron party did not allocate a single rupee to Telangana in the 202425 budget. It did not allocate even a rupee to the Mulugu Tribal University or the Turmeric Board at Nizamabad Allocated Rs 1,000 crore for Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh but only Rs 3.14 crore for the Sammakka Sarakka Jatara No assistance when Telangana faced floods. It did not help even when Hyderabad was devastated by severe floods in 2020 In 2023, BJP gave Rs 1,420.80 crore to Maharashtra, Rs 707.60 crore to Odisha, Rs 624.40 crore to Bihar, and Rs 584 crore to Gujarat under disaster relief funds, but neglected Telangana Caused severe loss to Telangana farmers by preventing the state from getting its rightful share of Krishna river waters Lakhs of jobs lost due to privatisation of public sector enterprises like BHEL, BSNL, LIC, BDL, HAL and DRDL, which were established by the Congress in Hyderabad Did not grant national project status to any irrigation project in Telangana, including the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme Telangana lost 13.9 lakh jobs and Rs 2.19 lakh crore in investments as a result of BJP cancelling the ITIR project given by Congress Abandoned Hyderabad-Warangal, Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridors, Fab City, Sileru Power Project, establishment of Narayanpet Handloom Park and revival of Adilabad Cement Factory Did not establish a single new airport, dry port or industrial park in Telangana Did not develop Warangal and Karimnagar as smart cities, did not give even one IIM, IIT, Central University or Medical College to Telangana. BJP is privatising coal mines allocated to Singareni by the Congress government. Auctioned Kalyan Khani, Koyagudem, Sattupalli and Shravanapalli coal blocks BJP failed in construction of railway lines on Manoharabad-Kothapalli, Bhadrachalam Road-Sathupally, Peddapalli-Nizamabad and Medak-Akkannapet routes, doubling of Secunderabad-Mahbubnagar, Mudkhed-Medchal railway lines, and third railway line on the Kazipet-Vijayawada routes Did not sanction a single Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya to Telangana since 2014. Discrimination against Telangana in establishment of Sainik Schools and Kendriya Vidyalayas Modi exploiting handloom sector via GST: Revanth The chief minister asserted that it was the responsibility of Congress leaders to explain to the people the failures and conspiracies of BJP in the last 10 years of its rule. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of miserably failing to fulfil his promise of creating 20 crore jobs in 10 years and providing only seven lakh jobs instead. The TPCC chief blamed the BJP government for the spiralling prices of essential commodities and adding to the burden of the common man. He alleged that there was rampant exploitation in industries from handloom to cottage industries, all in the name of GST. Revanth also accused Modi of imposing GST even on basic items like matchboxes and soaps. Stating that the people of the country have been burdened with a debt of Rs 168 lakh crore in the last 10 years due to the Modi government borrowing Rs 113 lakh crore, Revanth accused the prime minister of handing over assets built by successive Congress governments over 60 years to corporates within a decade.

Guntur: Six-day ABDM training programme concludes

VIJAYAWADA: Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Dr S Venkateswar emphasised the significance of Electronic Health Records (EHR) adoption in modern healthcare practices, its role in facilitating data-driven decision-making, and ensuring efficient resource utilisation within healthcare facilities in Andhra Pradesh. He participated as a chief guest on the final day of a six-day training session by the health, medical and family welfare department of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) held at Haailand resorts in Guntur district. The training programme, attended by a diverse array of doctors of all teaching hospitals, lab technicians, pharmacists, and staff nurses, focused on harnessing the potential of EHR systems to enhance patient care, streamline administrative processes, and improve overall healthcare delivery. Participants benefited from hands-on training sessions, practical demonstrations, and insightful discussions led by experienced practitioners. The Commissioner commended their commitment to professional development and encouraged them to leverage their newly acquired skills and knowledge to enhance healthcare services within their respective domains. ABDM state Nodal officer Boddepally Venkateswar Rao and others participated.

Seizures in Andhra Pradesh touch Rs 165.91 crore

VIJAYAWADA: After the announcement of the election schedule, Rs 165.91 crore worth cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and other articles have been seized in the State, informed Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena. In a release issued on Thursday, the CEO said effective vigil is being kept in the State to prevent illegal transportation of cash, liquor and other voter inducements. The State will go to polls on May 13. Continuous surveillance has resulted in seizure of Rs 165.91 crore worth cash, drugs, liquor, gold and silver and other articles, he added. MCC enforcement Rs 8.65 crore worth election inducements seized in 24 hours Rs 36.89 cr cash Rs 20.32 cr worth liquor Rs 2.87 cr worth drugs Rs 91.26 cr worth precious metals Total Rs 165.91 cr The highest seizure of election inducements worth Rs 30.66 cr were seized in Anantapur parliamentary constituency. The least seizure of election inducements worth Rs 1.15 cr was recorded in Narasapuram Lok Sabha segment.

Centre told to maintain status quo on VSP land

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has asked the Centre to maintain status quo on the sale of lands and assets of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP). When a batch of petitions, challenging the privatisation of VSP came up for hearing on Thursday, the Centre made it clear that it has taken a decision, in principle, to disinvest its stake in the plant and clarified there was no proposal to sell its assets. A batch of PILs challenging the proposal to disinvest the Centres stake were filed by former IPS officer VV Lakshminarayana, Praja Shanti Party president KA Paul and others. Some others filed petitions seeking directions to the VSP management to provide jobs to the land oustees as assured earlier. During the last hearing, the bench asked the Centre to place before it details regarding the Act by which it is privatising the plant and asked if it took any decision on the letter written by the chief minister regarding alternative measures for strengthening the plant instead of privatising it. It also wanted to know if the Centre consulted the employees, workers and other stakeholders before taking a decision on privatising the plant. Centre selling PSUs in name of disinvestment When the PILs came up for hearing on Thursday, CVR Rudraprasad, representing the Centre, informed the court that they have filed a counter as per its directions. Responding to it, Advocate General S Sriram said the counter filed by the Centre had nothing new. The AG said some English words were added and a fresh counter was filed. Sriram said the counter does not contain the details sought by the courtincluding no reference to the contents of the letter written by the CM. Additional Solicitor General B Narasimha Sharma, on behalf of the Centre, said that the finance ministry has responded to the Chief Ministers letter in 2021 itself. Narasimha Sharma informed the court that it has taken a decision, in principle, to privatise the plant, but there was no progress in the process. The ASG also informed the court that they have no proposal to sell the lands of the plant. He asserted that the Centre would not sell even an acre of VSP lands. Responding to this, the bench asked him if the Centre will maintain status quo on the sale of VSP lands, to which counsel Narasimha Sharma agreed. One of the petitioners counsel Y Balaji urged the court to record the same, to which the court responded positively and issued interim orders to maintain status quo. Intervening, Praja Shanti Party chief KA Paul, who is one of the petitioners, said the Centre is selling away PSUs in the name of disinvestment. He said several major industries have gone into the hands of private people and hoped that the VSP does not meet the same fate.

YSRC govt failed to complete Polavaram project due to graft: Piyush Goyal

VIJAYAWADA : Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Thursday claimed that Andhra Pradesh has witnessed the YSRCs vindictive and corrupt rule in the past five years. Addressing the media in Vijayawada during his one-day visit to the State, the BJP leader alleged that the State has experienced a string of failures marked by misgovernance at the highest levels in the last five years. He noted that despite Central grants to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore being released for Polavaram project, the government failed to complete it due to corruption, thus betraying the farmers of the State. Despite the fact that YSR in the YSR Congress Partys name stands for Yuvajana, Shramik and Rythu, the youth, workers and farmers have been neglected. The State suffered mismanagement under Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Despite the immense potential in the State and its previous status as a fast-developing region, the last five years have seen it overrun by the sand, land and liquor mafias, he claimed. He added Central schemes designed to benefit the poor were not fully executed in the State. The Narendra Modi-led Centre approved approximately 21.32 lakh homes for the State under PMAY, but the ruling YSRC only managed to distribute 3.25 lakh homes to beneficiaries, he alleged. He expressed hope that once TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu becomes the chief minister, the State will be placed on the path of progress by a double-engine government. Union Minister Piyush Goyal during a press conference Union minister accuses YSRC govt of diverting Rs 8,000 crore Panchayat funds He assured people that the TDP-led NDA alliance in the State will prioritise the completion of Polavaram, ensuring that Godavari water flows into every household and farm. On the issue of setting up of a railway zone as promised, the Union minister alleged that the YSRC government has not yet provided suitable land in Visakhapatnam. He asserted that the alliance would win and the new government would allocate land for the construction of the special railway zone. He accused the state government of diverting Rs 8,000 crore in panchayat grants between 201920 and 202223. The Union Minister stated that the countrys GDP ranking has improved from 11th to 5th globally, and it is poised to become the third-largest economy in the next five years. During Modis tenure, 20 crore people emerged out of poverty without discrimination based on religion, caste, or state, with the measures implemented by the Centre, he added. Piyush Goyal highlighted the success of the striking down of Article 370, which he said facilitated the integration of Kashmir into India.

Trounce Jagan & send him home for rapid growth of State: Naidu

VIJAYAWADA : The people of the State have started revolting against Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and he will be trounced in the elections, said TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu. Addressing a public meeting, along with Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan and former Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is contesting as the BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Rajampet, on Thursday, the TDP chief cautioned the people of the State to be alert as Jagan will loot the properties of everyone if he retains power in the State. He urged the people to give their treatment to the injury suffered by Jagan in the recent stone-pelting incident by simply throwing him out of power. Terming Energy Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy Papala (sinful) Peddireddy, Naidu held him responsible for the damage of Annamayya project. Promising to sanction a medical college for Rajampet soon after the formation of the TDP-led NDA government in the State, he said the Galeru-Nagari project will be completed on a priority basis to supply Krishna water to Rajampet. We will rebuild the Annamayya project, which was washed away in floods, and come to the rescue of the project displaced families, he vowed. Urging the people not to believe the YSRCs false propaganda against the tripartite alliance, the TDP chief asserted that the it is committed to safeguarding the interests of Muslims. He appealed to the people to give their massive mandate to BJP MP candidate Kiran Kumar Reddy and MLA nominee S Balasubrahmanyam in the elections. Once the NDA comes to power in the State, the first victory rally and a meeting will be organised in Rajampet, Naidu exhorted. Launching a broadside against the YSRC government, Pawan Kalyan called upon the people to give a resounding victory to the tripartite alliance. The NDA alliance should come to power to put an end to the rowdyism and factionism brought by the Peddireddy family, he asserted. Kiran Kumar Reddy said he had never seen an inefficient Chief Minister like Jagan. The defeat of P Midhun Reddy is a must for the development of Rajampet Lok Sabha constituency, he averred.

Jagans remark on saree shameful: YS Sharmila

VIJAYAWADA: In a vehement rebuttal to the remarks made by her brother and YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, APCC chief YS Sharmila Reddy said her brother seems to have no shame for commenting on the colours of sarees worn by his sisters. Addressing a public meeting in Guntur on Thursday, she sought to know why Jagan has to stoop to such a low. Calling her brother uncultured for commenting on the colour of her saree, she demanded to know, Does TDP have any patent on yellow colour or has the party purchased it? Jagan seems to have forgotten that the display of his news channel was yellow colour, which was recommended by YS Rajasekhara Reddy as he believed the colour signifies a good omen. Responding to the Chief Ministers allegations that she reads out of a script prepared by TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, she said, I dont need to read scripts prepared by others. It is Jagan who reads the script prepared for him verbatim. I am the daughter of YSR, and I dont have to lower my head before anyone. Sharmila, who is contesting the Kadapa MP seat against her cousin YS Avinash Reddy, opined that Jagan lowered himself before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and became his foster son. Has he ever spoken on the States interests? He is the heir of Modi and not YSR, she quipped and questioned Jagans silence over the violence in Manipur. Why did Jagan support Modi when so many Christians were being killed? she sought to know. Claiming that none of those who follow Jagan are his well-wishers, she said, Women, who spoke ill of YSR are now his sisters. Those who insulted YSR in the Assembly are his relatives. Refuting the allegations that the CBI included YSRs name in the chargesheet, Sharmila said the fact is that it was Jagan who, through his lawyer Sudhakar Reddy, included YSRs name in the chargesheet by filing a petition so that he could get bail in the case. She challenged Jagan to clarify on the matter. Earlier, the APCC chief addressed public meetings in Vijayawada and Sattenapalle. She criticised the YSRC government for rendering the State without a capital. Speaking to mediapersons in Pulivendula, Vivekananda Reddys daughter Suneetha Narreddy said that if her husband N Rajasekhar Reddy is an accused in her fathers murder, he should be arrested. Whoever is responsible, should be arrested. All I seek is justice for my father, she added. Pointing out that Pulivnedula was developed due to the efforts of YSR and Vivekananda Reddy, she asked why Jagan omitted the contribution of Vivekananda Reddy. Further, she demanded the Chief Minister to come clean on why he withdrew his demand for a CBI inquiry into Vivekas murder. A doctor by profession, Sunitha advised Jagan to remove the bandage on his forehead so that air can pass through or else it would get infected.

No respite from scorching heat in Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: As many as 56 mandals in the State are likely to reel under severe heatwave, while 174 mandals are likely to experience heatwave-like conditions on Friday. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted a heatwave at isolated places across the State, besides predicting hot, humid, and discomforting weather at isolated places across the State for the next four days. On Thursday, Andhra Pradesh largely experienced hot and humid conditions with daytime temperatures being above 40 degrees Celsius at most of the places. According to APSDPS, at around 4 pm, as many as 547 places in the State have reported daytime temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius and of them 78 places reported maximum temperatures above 43 degrees Celsius. APSDMA in its daily bulletin said on Thursday as many as 72 mandals experienced severe heatwave, and 102 mandals recorded heatwave. Among the 72 mandals with severe heatwave, 21 each were in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts, 12 in Anakapalli district, 11 in Paravatipuram-Manyam district, three each in Alluri Sitarama Raju and East Godavari districts, and one mandal in Kakinada district.

Issues galore in Machilipatnam, development of port vital

VIJAYAWADA: Machilipatnam Lok Sabha constituency has a plethora of issues that need the attention of policy makers for years, but have been totally ignored. Bandar or Machilipatnam port has been a long-burning issue. Finally, the works of the port project had commenced in May, 2023. The port is expected to be a pivot of change for the entire Krishna district, and emerge as an important sea port on the East Coast. After several agitations, the port was sanctioned by the YSRC government, but it hit a roadblock with the contracting agency backing away due to some issues. After the State bifurcation, the project was given to Navayuga Engineering Company Limited, but the project got embroiled in land issues. After the YSRC came to power, the project tender was cancelled, and a new DPR was prepared. Later, the project was handed over to MEIL, which is expected to complete it in two years. Speaking to TNIE, Vinay of Machilipatnam town said, The development of the port would bring the much-needed growth to the region, and could create more employment. For several years, the people of Nagayalanka and Edurumondi have been using punts to travel between the two islands risking their lives. The demand for a bridge for years remains a dream. In Gudivada, the long pending demand for Road Over Bridge (ROB) is yet to be met, though several assurances were given in this regard. In Gannavaram Assembly segment, the issue of compensation to farmers for the land acquired for airport expansion is yet to be resolved. Machilipatnam also known as Bandar parliamentary constituency consists of seven Assembly segments, including Bandar, Pedana, Avanigadda, Gudivada, Gannavaram, Pamarru (SC reserved) and Penamaluru. The constituency has a total population of 17,35,079. The total electorate in Machilipatnam is 15,18,826. The parliamentary constituency, which retained the name Krishna District after the district reorganisation, has rural and semi-urban character, and compared to NTR District, it has more agriculture and aquaculture fields. Irrigation and drinking water is an issue in the constituency though the perennial Krishna River flows through it. The proposed barrages downstream of Prakasam Barrage have remained a distant dream. Bandar town gets drinking water once in two or three days now. Tail-end lands under Bandar Canal do not get water for irrigation, pointed out a senior CPM leader of the region. The demand for rail connectivity between Repalle and Machilipatnam remains unfulfilled. The region will witness a sea change if the rail connectivity is provided, he opined. The constituency was represented by Communists after it was formed in 1952. Sanaka Buchikotaiah was the first MP. He was succeeded by Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao of Congress, followed by Mandala Venkataswamy Naidu, Y Ankineedu Prasad, Nageswara Rao Meduri, Maganti Ankineedu, K Sambasiva Rao, Kolusu Pedda Reddaiah Yadav, K Satyanarayana, K Sambasiva Rao, Ambati Brahmanaiah and Badiga Ramakrishna. Konakalla Narayana of TDP represented the Lok Sabha constituency in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, Vallabhaneni Balasouri of YSRC was elected. The sitting MP has shifted his loyalties to the Jana Sena Party, and is contesting the Lok Sabha seat as an NDA candidate. Facing him is Dr Simhadri Chandrasekhar, a noted oncologist, contesting the election for the first time.

Political bigwigs set to battle it out in Dhone

KURNOOL : With elections fast approaching, all eyes are on Dhone Assembly constituency in Nandyal district where two prominent politicians YSRCs Buggana Rajendranath Reddy and TDPs Kotla Jayasurya Prakasha Reddy are set to lock horns. While the sitting Dhone MLA and finance minister is vying for a third term, former Union minister Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the seat from the ruling YSRC. They both have been campaigning vigorously by conducting door-to-door visits and public meetings. Water crisis, unemployment and migration are some of the top concerns of the voters in the segment. Lack of irrigation water has resulted in insufficient job opportunities, consequently causing youth and agricultural labourers to migrate to cities like Guntur, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ballary in search of livelihood. Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, YSRC Many roads to access the villages have been constructed poorly due to the negligence of the current government, R Venkatesh, a resident of Dhone town alleged. Many eligible beneficiaries have been left out of government schemes due to political reasons, he added. Dhone is a prominent constituency as it was from here that Neelam Sanjiva Reddy contested the elections in 1962 on a Congress ticket and went on to serve as the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and later the sixth President of India from 1977 to 1982. Buggana is banking on the development initiatives he has taken up in the constituency. He has been highlighting the development brought in infrastructure, education, provision of water for farmers and road connectivity under the YSRC rule. The incumbent MLA has promised to continue the welfare and development programmes to ensure progress of the people of Dhone. Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy, TDP TDPs Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy is mobilising the cadre and party sympathisers to challenge the incumbent. A seasoned politician and former Union Minister, he brings decades of experience to the table. He is banking on the legacy his family name carries and the work done by his father and former Chief Minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy as well on his own victories as Kurnool MP. AN OVERVIEW 2,24,085 - Total Electorate Male - 1,10,748 Female - 1,13,259 3rd gender - 78 291 - Total poling booths 2019 POLL OUTCOME Buggana Rajendranath (YSRC): 1, 00,845 KE Pratap (TDP): 65,329

Bapatla: Final List of Voters to be Released on April 29

Election Commission's Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP). Election Commission's Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP). Vijayawada : Bapatla district election officer P. Ranjit Basha on Thursday informed leaders of recognised political parties that the final list of voters in the district will be released on April 29. He said 99 candidates have filed 147 nominations for the parliament and assembly constituencies in the district. These nomination papers will be scrutinised on Friday. The election officer disclosed that symbols will be allotted to the contesting candidates on April 29. He said voter ID cards have already been distributed to voters by post.

Jagan to Start Siddham 3.0 from April 28

Vijayawada : After the success of the Siddham and Memantha Siddham bus yatra, YSR Congress President and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would start his election campaign Siddham 3.0 from April 28. The YSRC is likely to release its election manifesto by the evening on April 26, the sources said, adding that the manifesto is almost ready. After a two-day break, Jagan Reddy will start the Siddham 3.0 covering three assembly constituencies each day. YSRC general secretary Talasila Raghuram released the details of the Siddham 3.0 election campaign for the first four days until May 1. As per the schedule, the CM will start from Tadipatri constituency covering Tadipatri, Venkatagiri and Kandukur ACs. On April 29, the CM will hold meetings in Chodavaram, P Gannavaram and Ponnur. The next day, he will be in Kondepi, Mydukur and Pileru assembly constituencies. On May 1, he will be at Bobbili, Payakaraopeta and Eluru constituencies.

BJP leaders reject Naidu's plea on Muslim reservation

Vijayawada: A team of senior BJP leaders met Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu here on Thursday and discussed the 3-party alliances poll strategies in AP and the issue of Muslim reservations. The team comprised Union Commerce minister Piyush Goyal, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, BJP national joint secretary Siva Prakash and BJP state general secretary (organisation) S. Madhukar. After the meeting, Piyush Goyal made a key announcement at a press conference, affirming that the BJP is against Muslim reservations. He made it clear that the BJP favoured only the SC, ST, BC and OBC reservations as also the EWS, and stressed that no reservation will be given to Muslims. According to sources, Naidu explained the political situation in AP to these leaders and claimed that the people were ready to dethrone the YSR Congress from power in the present Assembly elections. When both sides discussed the Muslim reservations, Naidu said the cancellation of 4 per cent reservations to Muslims will impact the election outcome. Hence Naidu urged the BJP leaders not to raise the issue in AP. But, the BJP leaders made it clear that the party was against Muslim reservations. This has been their national-level policy. We are against religion-based reservations to Muslims, they stressed.

CPM Lambasts NDA Alliances Promise to Reduce Prices

VIJAYAWADA: CPM candidate from Vijayawada Central constituency CH. Babu Rao questioned the promise of Telugu Desam and Jana Sena in alliance with Bharatiya Janata party that prices of essential commodities will be reduced. In his fiery speech while addressing the residents of Sanjeevayya Colony, he pointed out that TD and JS have teamed up with BJP, which has hiked the cooking gas prices from 400 to 1,200. The two parties are trying to influence public in the wrong way, the CPM candidate remarked. He showcased his partys history of supporting the underprivileged, helping them get ownership rights over their houses, making efforts towards ending corruption and promising transparent governance once the CPM comes to power.

Cash, Items of Rs 165.91 Crore Seized in AP After Release of Election Schedule

Vijayawada: Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Meena has said cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, free bees and other items worth more than Rs 165.91 crore have been seized since the announcement of the election schedule in AP. He said that as the general elections are slated for May 13 in the state, a strong vigil has been kept on the illegal transportation of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals etc that might be distributed by candidates or parties to attract voters. Through inter-state as well as other check posts in the state, more than 20 enforcement agencies such as police, excise, income tax, forest, ED, NCB, RPF, customs etc are on constant vigil against illegal transportation of cash and goods for election-related canvassing. Illegally transported assets worth Rs 8.65 crore have been seized in the last 24 hours alone. The highest amount of Rs 30.66 crore was seized in Anantapur LS constituency and the lowest amount of Rs 1.15 crore in Narsapuram LS. The total amount seized till date was Rs 36.89 crore in cash, 6,62,402.65 litres of liquor worth Rs 20.32 crore, 52,28,218.94 grams of drugs worth Rs 2.78 crore, 14,73,734.46 grams of precious metals worth Rs 91.26 crore, 4,88,557 items worth Rs 2.90 crore, Freebies (freebies) and other items worth Rs 11.74 crore were seized, he said. In Tirupati (SC), Rs 19.37 crore was seized; Kakinada Rs 18.18 crore, Elur Rs 13.77 crore, Visakhapatnam Rs 12.50 crore, Rajampet Rs 6.96 crore, Vijayawada Rs 6.75 crore, Nandyala Rs 5.63 crore, Kadapa Rs 5.62 crore, Narasaraopet Rs 4.61 crore, Vizianagaram Rs 4.18 crore, Bapatla (SC) Rs 3.99 crore, Anakapalli Rs 3.72 crore, Rajahmundry Rs 3.62 crore, Srikakulam Rs 3.61 crore, Araku (ST) Rs 3.37 crore, Nellore Rs 3 crore, Machilipatnam Rs 2.87 crore, Guntur Rs 2.75 crore, Kurnool Rs 2.45 crore, Chittoor (SC) Rs 1.94 crore, Ongole Rs 1.93 crore, Hindupur Rs 1.63 crore and in Amalapuram (SC) Rs 1.52 crore.

Friday last day for postal ballots

The news of postal ballots being given out to persons with disabilities (PwDs) has not been welcomed by all voters in the city. (Representational Image:AFP) The news of postal ballots being given out to persons with disabilities (PwDs) has not been welcomed by all voters in the city. (Representational Image:AFP) Vijayawada: Krishna district election officer D.K. Balaji has informed government employees on election duties that they should submit Form-12 by Friday, April 26, to avail the postal ballot facility. Balaji explained that those who are entitled to vote in other districts due to unavoidable reasons will also have to submit Form-12 by Friday in the constituency where they are currently working. The election officer also gave details of how the process of postal ballots will be followed through.

Marxists Seek Delivery of Pensions at Homes on May 1

Vijayawada: CPM state committee secretary V. Srinivas Rao on Thursday demanded that state government make arrangements for distributing social security pensions to old aged, disabled, widows, single women, handloom workers, fishermen, artisans and others at their homes on May 1. He deplored that last month, when temperatures had been high, disabled and elderly had been forced to queue up at village and ward secretariats for pensions, leading to deaths at some places. In particular, Srinivas Rao pointed out that in agency areas, secretariats are far away from residences. There are no transport facilities in such regions. People have to walk through forests or down the hills to collect their pensions and return. Reiterating his demand for delivery of pensions at doorsteps of the pensioners, the CPM leader said those distributing must carry sufficient cash in advance, so that pensions are paid to all.

Politicians turn MCC into Make Chaos Cool

Hyderabad: Welcome to the wild, wild west of Andhra Pradesh electioneering, where the only rule is that there are no rules at least, not the ones set by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The rules of engagement in election campaigns are crystal clear, or so they say. Despite the ECIs valiant efforts to drum them into the heads of political parties, it seems like some candidates and their cohorts are determined to march to the beat of their own drum, ignoring the model code of conduct (MCC). In most cases, going by the repeated violations of the MCC provisions, it appears that parties and their candidates are like truant children, who do exactly the opposite of what they are told. Take the case of Sk Asif, YSRC candidate from Vijayawada West, who decided to make a grand entrance to file his nomination on horseback! The poll panels memo about the ban on displaying animals in roadshows didn't make it to his mailbox. But he's not alone in this equestrian escapade; followers have been spotted galloping alongside on camels and horses, turning rallies into impromptu petting zoos. The 13-page MCC for campaigning could be a steeplechase for most candidates and among its provisions is one that says display of animals in roadshows is totally banned. The air is thick with the sound of high-decibel speakers as prominent leaders like Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy, N. Chandrababu Naidu, and Pawan Kalyan lead their own campaigns. Roadshows block the entire road, oversized flags billow in the wind, and convoys defy the laws of traffic physics. The AP Chief Minister's Memantha Siddham Bus Yatra might as well be a victory lap for the audacious occupier of the entire one-way of road. Naidu's Praja Galam public meetings are so electrifying, you might need sunglasses to shield yourself from the glaring lights and ear plugs to save from thunderous noise. The scenes captured in the videos of actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, as he went to file his nomination, resembled something out of a movie's pre-climax chase sequence. His followers, accompanying him in a massive bike rally, were observed zooming recklessly on both sides of the road, while the Jana Sena chief stood from the sunroof, waving at his supporters. Amidst this cinematic spectacle, the ECI's regulations stating that all bigger convoys exceeding 10 vehicles shall be broken after every 10 vehicles, and a gap of 100 metres would be maintained appeared to have been tossed aside like yesterday's newspaper. In AP, it appears that the leaders have conveniently overlooked the ECI's guidelines on maintaining decorum during election campaigns, specifically the section that prohibits criticism of aspects of private life not connected with the public life of leaders or workers of other parties. As for the ECI's meticulously crafted norms on firecrackers, loudspeakers, and campaign vehicle designs, etc., seems like a bygone era, lost to the winds of political defiance in Andhra Pradesh

Fire on private gas pipeline in Vijayawada

After Jagan's Memantha Siddham, YS Bharathi Hits Campaign Trail

Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's wife Y.S. Bharathi (Photo: DC) Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's wife Y.S. Bharathi (Photo: DC) Hyderabad: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddys wife YS Bharathi became the cynosure of all eyes as she is taking part in the door-to-door election campaign in support of her husband, who is contesting from Pulivendula Assembly constituency. As Jagan Mohan Reddy filed nomination papers at the office of Returning Officer (RO) at YSR junction after completing Memantha Siddham bus yatra Tekkali in Srikakulam on Thursday, focus is laid on intensifying election campaigns across the State. As her husband will be busy campaigning for the party candidates in various assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh, Bharathi will be assisting him in the door-to-door campaign. She already started meeting people visiting every household seeking support for Jagan this time as well. Bharathi drew attention of everyone when she greeted Jagan after Siddham bus yatra entered the Krishna district a few days ago and within a few hours he suffered an injury when a stone was hurled on him at Ajith Singh Nagar in Vijayawada.

Six Including Infant Killed in Road Accident in Telangana's Hyderabad-Vijayawada Highway

The car carrying the victims collided with the truck parked on the roadside for repairs, along the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway

Vishwajeet is new Intelligence chief, Ramakrishna appointed as NTR CP

VIJAYAWADA : A day after State Intelligence chief P Sitaramanjaneyulu and NTR district commissioner of police Kanthi Rana Tata were transferred, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued an order appointing two IPS officers in their place. According to the order, additional director general of police (Railways) Kumar Vishwajeet was appointed as the Intelligence chief, while Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director PHD Ramakrishna has been appointed as NTR district police commissioner. The order further instructed the two officers to take charge and send the compliance report to the poll panel by Thursday (April 25) 11 am. On Tuesday, the Election Commission of India had asked Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy to submit a panel of three officers along with their APAR grading for the last five years and Vigilance Clearance, to replace the officers who have been transferred. Based on the names sent by the Chief Secretary, the ECI selected the two and instructed the officials concerned to issue further orders pertaining to their appointment. Coincidentally, the 1994 IPS batch officer, Kumar Vishwajeet was appointed as ADG Intelligence by the ECI in 2019 general elections, replacing the serving AB Venkateswara Rao of 1989 batch IPS.

Attack on Andhra CM: Accused sent to police custody

VIJAYAWADA: The Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Vijayawada on Wednesday pronounced that the prime accused in the case related to the attack on Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will undergo police custody for three days starting from Thursday. Judge C Ramana Reddy further instructed the investigating officers to question the accused Satish Kumar in the presence of either his legal counsel or parents. He also mentioned that Satish shall be called for questioning from 10 am to 5 pm. The North Zone assistant commissioner of police (ACP) filed the petition with the court seeking custody of the accused for further investigation into the case. Satish is currently at NTR district jail in Vijayawada. Police informed the court that the 19-year-old had hurled a stone on the Jagan during his Memanta Siddham election campaign near Vivekananda School in Ajit Singh Nagar on April 13.

TDP chief promises to transform womens lives with Maha Shakti

VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that the yellow party has always been committed to the empowerment of women, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu said the Maha Shakti scheme will transform the lives of women. He added that his sole aim is to make women independent. Interacting with women in Srikakulam on Wednesday, Naidu highlighted that the TDP has provided equal rights for women in ancestral properties, 33% reservations in educational institutions and job opportunities. DWCRA groups were formed exclusively for women only during the TDP regime to ensure that they are independent. Interest-free loans were provided to these DWCRA groups and separate bazaars were established to market the products they manufacture, he pointed out. In a jibe at Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Naidu quipped, Pressing buttons after incurring huge debts is not a great thing. Further, he asserted that besides implementing welfare schemes, the TDP, in an alliance with the JSP and BJP, will also focus on creation of wealth and generation of jobs, once it comes to power. Exuding confidence that the NDA will resolve the crisis created by Jagan in the State by creating wealth, the former chief minister promised women that houses will be built for them in two cents of land. Further, he promised that old-age pension will be increased to Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000 will be extended to the differently-abled.

Six of a family killed in high-speed crash in Telangana

The incident occurred when the family of 10 was travelling from Hyderabad to Vijayawada to attend a church.

Jagan will go to jail after elections: Pawan

VIJAYAWADA : Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday predicted that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will go back to jail after the elections. He was speaking in reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech in Rajasthans Balmar, where he said that those who do wrong should be prepared to be punished. Jagan, an accused in more than 30 cases, is out on bail. However, after the elections, he will be in jail and this is Modis guarantee, he asserted. The actor-politician was speaking to reporters after the partys Lok Sabha candidate, Tangella Uday Srinivas filed his nomination. Reiterating that the elections will decide the fate of the people and the State, he said, The JSP, TDP, and BJP have allied to assure people that law and order issues, corruption, and anarchy prevailing in the State will stop. On the issue of a leader of the Jana Jatiya Sena Party, named Srinivasu Tangella, contesting the Kakinada MP seat, the JSP chief said they have requested the returning officer to see to it that the JSP candidates name in the ballot paper appears as Tea Time Uday. The request was accepted. Later in the day, Pawan, along with TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, addressed a public meeting at Nellimarla in Vizianagaram district. Terming Jagan a big thief, Pawan said, The YSRC president has looted Rs 450 crore of NTR University funds, diverted `800 crore of government employees GPF without their knowledge and `8,000 crore of Panchayat Raj funds. Even Rs 450 crore of building and construction workers funds were not spared. To bring down power tariff, this fan (YSRCs poll symbol) should be stopped, he quipped. Stating that Jagan can be described as a psychopath and sociopath, he underscored the need to dethrone him. Lambasting at Jagan over his governments failure to maintain law and order in the State, the JSP chief said, Lord Rama is worshipped by all, but under the YSRC regime, the idol of Rama in Ramateertham was beheaded. However, no action was taken. Under Jagan, over 200 Hindu temples were demolished, he alleged. On the Bhogapuram Airport issue, the actor pointed out that Jagan, when he was the Opposition leader, wanted to cancel the project. But now, he is using it for land grabbing and minting money, he claimed. Naidu, too, accused the YSRC of attempting to demolish Lord Ramas idols in Ramateertham. The police will arrest us even if we speak anything against the Chief Minister, but they took no action when idols were damaged, he said. Naidu questioned Jagans disinterest in doing any good for Nellimarla. If I had remained in power, the works of Bhogapuram Airport would have been completed. I acquired 2,750 acres for the airport and laid the foundation stone, added Naidu and promised to complete the international airport by 2025. Ensure door delivery of pensions TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has sought the intervention of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to direct the State government to distribute pensions to beneficiaries at the doorstep. Pointing out that 33 elderly citizens reportedly lost their lives because of the government forcing beneficiaries to visit the village/ward Secretariats to collect their pensions in April, Naidu wrote that the ruling party launched a vicious campaign of blaming the ECI and opposition parties to get political mileage by twisting the facts. In this backdrop, there is every possibility that the State government, with active connivance of officials concerned, will repeat the same scenario when the pensions will have to be disbursed on May 1. With temperatures in the State soaring beyond tolerable levels, beneficiaries will face severe hardships if they are made to wait at the secretariats to collect their pension, the former chief minister wrote in the letter.

Andhra Pradesh HC issues showcause notice to IAS officer for contempt

VIJAYAWADA: Taking serious exception to the contempt of the court by senior IAS officer N Gulzar, who is currently on Central deputation, the Andhra Pradesh High Court issued a showcause notice to him. Hearing a contempt petition filed against Gulzar, Justice G Ramakrishna Prasad expressed his ire over the IAS officer. The court said Gulzar, who has no respect for the judicial system, is not fit for government service. Gulzar made a mockery of the judicial system by not only violating the existing laws, but also ignoring the court directions. He crossed the Lakshman Rekha of Executive, the bench said. The Court said as per the preliminary evidence, the officer is not only unfit for government services, but should also be subjected to action under the contempt of court. Since he is not eligible for government services, why should he not be removed from the service, it asked and issued a show cause notice. Gulzar was directed to reply within two weeks. Further, the High Court registry was directed to register a contempt of court cases against him suo-motu. Hearing for the same was posted to May 1. The court also cancelled the proceedings issued by Gulzar rejecting the compensatory appointment to petitioner Srinivas in 2022 and directed the officials concerned to take a decision on the petition in four weeks. It is to be recalled that B Saraswathi Devi, working with the commercial tax department, died and her younger son B Srinvias applied for compensatory appointment. Citing that his father is taking the pension and as Srinivass age has crossed the age limit, his application was rejected. In 2021, he challenged the proceedings and the single judge bench asked him to apply afresh and directed the officials concerned to take action in four weeks. However, with no action from the government, Srinivas filed a contempt petition. While the hearing of the petition was underway, the then Finance Secretary Gulzar issued proceedings rejecting the application. Since the orders were issued, the court dismissed the contempt plea. Srinivas once again knocked the doors of the HC for justice and hearing his petition, Justice Ramakrishna Prasad found fault with the officer and observed that the officer had intentionally ignored the court directions.

2022 batch IFS officer from AP receives seven medals

VIJAYAWADA: The 2022 Indian Forest Service batch officer Md Abdul Rawoof of Andhra Pradesh was awarded the All round outstanding performance medal for securing highest overall aggregate marks in the professional training course. He also bagged seven other medals during his training. President Droupadi Murmu conferred Rawoof with medals at the convocation ceremony held by the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy in Dehradun on Wednesday. Rawoof bagged awards for Distinction in Personality Development, Academic Excellence, Best working plan, All Academic Subjects, Nilgiri Wildlife Club essay writing and Best Communication Skills. Rawoof has completed BTech in Civil Engineering from IIT-Bombay and MS in Transportation Engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), USA. Before joining the IFS, he worked at NABARD in Chennai.

Gold rates in Vijayawada surges, check the rates on 25 April 2024 - The Hans India

Gold rates in Vijayawada surges, check the rates on 25 April 2024 The Hans India

Six killed in road accident in Telangana

SURYAPET (Telangana): Six persons, including a girl child died in a road accident in this district on Thursday, when the car they were travelling in collided with a stationary truck, police said. The accident happened near Kodada town in this district, located about 180 km from state capital Hyderabad. The car carrying the victims collided with the truck parked on the roadside for repairs, along the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway, Kodada DSP Sridhar Reddy told PTI. A total 10 people were in the car when the accident happened in the early hours of Thursday. Four passengers sustained minor injuries and were shifted to a government hospital.

Ballot battle for Vijayawada LS seat will be one-sided: Kesineni Sivanath

DP candidate for Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency Kesineni Sivanath, popularly known as Chinni, is confident of winning the election with a huge majority against YSRC nominee and his elder brother Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) as the fight will be largely one-sided. In an interview with S Viswanath, Kesineni Sivanath rubbished the remarks being made by Nani against TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, asserting that his family has been with the TDP since its inception and his father was the founder member of the party. Why did the TDP leadership choose you over your brother, a two-time MP? TDP supremo Naidu gave Nani the opportunity to contest the Lok Sabha seat twice as our family has been with the party for the past 42 years. After the TDP losing power in in the State in the last elections, Nani, instead of standing with Naidu and the party, had started criticising the party chief and leaders and encouraged groupism within the party. In fact, I was not in active politics at that time and involved in my social service activities. The birth centenary of NTR was organised by me in a grand manner, and I strove for the success of Yuva Galam Padayatra of party general secretary Nara Lokesh. The TDP leadership conducted 11 surveys to select the candidate for Vijayawada Lok Sabha segment and in all the surveys, the people put their trust on me. Thus our family has got the opportunity to contest the Lok Sabha seat for the third consecutive time. Nani has accused Naidu of giving tickets to those coming with cash bags. What is your response? By making such remarks against the party supremo, Nani himself stooped too low. Instead of making remarks against the leadership, he should speak on policy matters. It was the same Nani, who praised Naidu as a great leader when he was in the TDP. Now, he resorted to make cheap allegations after he was denied the party ticket. You have released a separate manifesto for Vijayawada parliamentary constituency. Are you confident of implementing all the assurances made in the manifesto in the five-year tenure if elected as an MP? When the TDP was with the NDA, Vijayawada witnessed tremendous development. Traffic problem in Vijayawada city was solved to a great extent by developing 34 roads. Now, I am confident of building another flyover from the Government Hospital Junction to Nidamanur on NH 16, which will provide an effective solution to traffic congestion in Vijayawada City. Apart from the government spending, I will personally set up RO plants in SC, ST and BC colonies of all the 285 villages that come under the purview of Vijayawada Lok Sabha segment to provide safe drinking water to the people. I will also take the support of industrialists under their corporate social responsibility in the endeavour. I will also set up a skill development centre at Auto Nagar for the benefit of youth. How is the response to your electioneering from people? The response from the public reflects that the elections are turning to be one sided in favour of the TDP. The fight is between an arrogant Nani and a simple me. The tripartite alliance is set to make a clean sweep by winning all the seven Assembly segments in Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency. What are the other steps required to further develop Vijayawada city? In fact, Vijayawada is a commercial centre. The three-capital stance taken by the YSRC government has hit the growth of Amaravati Capital City and Vijayawada. Besides focusing on development of tourism and industrial sectors, I will strive to improve the living standards of people. Our motto is decentralisation of development. Unlike Hyderabad, the population of Vijayawada is more or less 20 lakh. We could provide them employment opportunities in Vijayawada itself and we will work in that direction.

PM Modi to campaign in Andhra Pradesh on May 3, 4

VIJAYAWADA : Giving the much needed boost to the saffron party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will conduct electioneering for the candidates of the tripartite alliance for two days. BJP State vice-president Vetukuri Suryanarayana Raju said the Prime Minister would tour the State on May 3 and 4. According to party leaders, the itinerary would be planned in the next couple of days by the State leadership. The national leadership has just given us the days when the Prime Ministers programmes could be accommodated. We are chalking out the tour schedule, the leaders said. Sources said the State unit had earlier sent a proposal for the PM to address meetings at four places. The BJP is contesting six MP and 10 MLA seats in the State along with the TDP and JSP. Modi had earlier addressed a public meeting at Chilakaluripet after the alliance was announced. We are planning two or three public meetings and a roadshow of the Prime Minister in which the alliance partners will also participate, the sources said. Modi is likely to campaign in Rajahmundry, Anakapalle and Rajampet where the partys candidates are contesting. He may also campaign in Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency where TDP candidate Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) is in the fray. BJPs YS Chowdary is contesting from Vijayawada West constituency. Sources said that the party had initially planned Modis campaign in Tirupati, from where it is contesting and won the Lok Sabha seat earlier, but later favoured Rajampet. The BJP is of the view that Modis campaign in Rajampet would boost the party prospects where Kiran Kumar Reddy is pitted against MP PV Midhun Reddy.

Battle lines drawn in Pedana Assembly constituency

VIJAYAWADA : The ruling YSRC and Opposition TDP have intensified their efforts to attract the electorate in the Pedana Assembly constituency. Contesting under the YSRC banner from the Assembly seat, Uppala Ramesh, popularly known as Ramu, has locked horns with TDP candidate Kagitha Krishnaprasad. It is interesting to know that both the candidates hail from the same Gowda community. Comprising four mandals, including Gudur, Pedana, Bantumilli and Kruthivennu, Pedana Assembly segment has nearly one-third of the electorate belonging to Kapu community, who are detrimental in deciding the outcome of the election. Besides 35,000 voters belonging to Gowda community, the major chunk of the electorate with 50,000 of voters belong to Telaga and Shetty Balija communities in the constituency. While YSRC candidate Uppala Ramesh is completely relying on welfare schemes fulfilled by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to garner peoples support, TDP candidate Kagitha Krishna Prasad, son of former minister Kagita Venkatarao, is gearing up to emerge victorious in the coming elections. Remember, Krishna Prasad has won the 2014 elections and lost to YSRC candidate Jogi Ramesh in the 2019 elections. As Jogi Ramesh was swapped to contest Penamaluru constituency, the YSRC top brass fielded Uppala Ramesh to contest Pedana segment. Pedana is known to the nation for its handlooms, especially the renowned Kalamkari products. The weavers from the region are claiming that the absence of effective handloom reservation on 11 products and inadequate Hankey Yarn supply from power looms has been causing a financial strain on handloom cooperative societies. Speaking to TNIE, Yarra Nagaraju, a weaver, said that rising colour rates and the removal of government incentives have further weakened the handloom industry. Kalamkari artist-cum-product producer Balla Prasad highlighted the lack of welfare schemes for the industry, which supports over 20,000 people in the constituency. Artisans lack essential health insurance cards and are facing market challenges, discouraging new entrants. Despite frequent proposals to the government, cooperative societies havent been established for decades, he explained and urged the government to allocate an area in the Krishna basin or implement a separate pipeline for Pedana Kalamkari artisans. On the other hand, the irrigation and drainage system in Pedana constituency is in disarray. Despite plans to modernise major and minor drains, crop canals, and other infrastructure dating back to the 2000s, no progress has been made. The areas clay soil requires regular tilling for agriculture, but this has been allegedly neglected for years. BK Sarojini, from SV Palli in Pedana Mandal, highlighted the severe drinking water issue in the constituency. Saltwater intrusion due to the conversion of fish and shrimp ponds has raised the issue. Residents are forced to spend significant amounts to purchase drinking water, Sarojini added and emphasised the need for a permanent solution to address drinking water crisis in the area. TDP MLA candidate Kagitha Krishna Prasad expressed his confidence in an anti-incumbency wave working in his favour. He stated that he has garnered support from all communities in the constituency, as well as from alliance parties Jana Sena and BJP.

Andhra CM concludes bus yatra, exhorts people to vote for YSRC so welfare schemes continue

VIJAYAWADA : Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday asserted that people should vote for the YSRC for the continuation of the welfare schemes. Terming the upcoming elections as a Kurukshetra battle, he said the polls are not meant for electing the MLAs and MPs, but for continuing the people-oriented reforms initiated by his government. Winding up his 22-day Memanta Siddham campaign in Tekkali of Srikakulam district, Jagan said, on the contrary, voting for TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu will only mean ending all of them for good. During his last public meeting held as part of his bus yatra, Jagan elaborated on the plethora of welfare schemes and development works taken up by his government. He said the newly-renovated government hospitals are all set to provide quality healthcare services while the volunteer system is ready to provide civic services at the doorstep of citizens. Upgraded government schools are all set to offer quality education to our children. As many as 15,002 Village and Ward Secretariats will provide services to the people in their villages, he asserted. He said he was Siddham (ready) for the elections with the 1.35 lakh youngsters for whom he had provided jobs, and with the Grama Swaraj he had achieved through door-to-door delivery of civic services across the State. Meanwhile, Jagan is set to file his nomination in Pulivendula on Thursday. CM Jagan during a public meeting at Tekkali in Srikakulam on Wednesday YSRC fulfilled 99% promises, Oppn only stitched up alliances, says Jagan We are ready to face the elections as we have been delivering `3,000 as monthly pensions at the doorsteps of each beneficiary on the first of every month, he said and added that Siddham is not just an election campaign, but is a sign of self-confidence that he has to seek votes from the people for the good work he has done. Jagan maintained that he had fulfilled 99 per cent of the promises made in the run up to the 2019 elections. Opposition parties, on the other hand, have stitched up alliances, he mocked. Reminding the people that Naidu had never fulfilled the promises he made in the 2014 manifesto, the Chief Minister said Naidu had assured farm loan waiver, DWCRA loan waiver, Rs 10,000 crore BC sub-plan, one job for each household, financial assistance to unemployed youth, three cents of land to the eligible poor, construction of a hi-tech city, and development of cities on par with Singapore. However, he failed to fulfil even a single promise, he added. This time, again, the alliance partners are joining forces, to deceive the people of Andhra Pradesh in the name of Super Six. Naidu and his alliance partners have a habit of cheating people with false promises and plundering the States resources, Jagan alleged. In a dig at Naidu, he questioned, People identify the characters in movies based on their deeds, whether they are a hero or villain. And now, who is the hero and who is the villain in Andhra Pradesh politics?

Telangana: Six die after car rams into parked lorry

Hyderabad: Six people were killed and four injured when a car rammed into a lorry in Kodad mandal of Suryapet district early Thursday morning. The car, carrying the victims, was en route to Vijayawada when it collided with the truck, which was parked on the roadside for repairs along the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway, said Kodada DSP 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 .

Tragic Road Accident Kills Six in Telangana

Tragic Road Accident Kills Six in Telangana Six persons, including a girl child died in a road accident in this district on Thursday, when the car they were travelling in collided with a stationary truck, police said. The accident happened near Kodada town in this district, located about 180 km from state capital Hyderabad. The car carrying the victims collided with the truck parked on the roadside for repairs, along the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway, Kodada DSP Sridhar Reddy told PTI. A total 10 people were in the car when the accident happened in the early hours of Thursday. Four passengers sustained minor injuries and were shifted to a government hospital.

Suryapet: 6 Persons Die, Two Injured in Road Accident

Suryapet: Six persons died and two were seriously injured in a road accident on National Highway No. 65 at Durgapuram of Kodad mandal in the district on Thursday morning. The accident occurred when a car, traveling from Hyderabad to Vijayawada, collided with a stationary lorry due to a breakdown. About 10 persons were traveling in the car at the time of the accident. The deceased were identified as Jella Srikanth, Manikyamma, Chander Rao, Krishna Rao, Swarna, and Lasya, natives of Govindapuram in Bonakal mandal, Khammam district. The injured have been shifted to the government hospital in Kodad for treatment. More details awaited.

YSRC Dares Pawan To Debate on Kapu Funds

Adapa Seshu raises concerns about Pawan Kalyan's political alliances, demanding transparency in his affiliations. Adapa Seshu raises concerns about Pawan Kalyan's political alliances, demanding transparency in his affiliations. Vijayawada: YSRC Kapu leader Adapa Seshu criticised Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan for speculating that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has lakhs of crores rupees. Speaking to the media persons on Wednesday, he asked Pawan, who claims to have read lakhs of books, whether he knows what an election affidavit means. Seshu said Jagan Mohan Reddy has officially declared his assets in the election affidavit. He advised PK to visit the website of the Election Commission for more clarity on the Chief Ministers assets. Pawan Kalyan is making baselessly allegations only to create confusion among people, the Kapu leader charged.

Vijayawada IFS Officer Bags Medal

Vijayawada : The 2022 batch of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers attended their convocation on Wednesday at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy in Dehradun. An officer from Vijayawada Md. Abdul Rawoof received the All Round Outstanding Performance Medal for securing the highest aggregate marks in the professional training course. President Droupadi Murmu had been the chief guest on the occasion. She presented awards to various winners, including Abdul Rawoof. Before joining the IFS, Rawoof had worked with NABARD, Chennai, for over two years. The 2022 IFS batch is set to join the respective state cadres in the first week of May 2024 for on-the-job training and subsequent allotment of duties.

Police Custody for CM-attack Accused Satish Kumar for Three Days

Vijayawada: The metropolitan magistrates court here on Wednesday granted three days police custody for Vemula Satish Kumar, first accused in the stone pelting on CM case, from 10.30 am on April 25 till 5 pm April 27. The court, in response to a plea from the assistant commissioner of police, north division Vijayawada, imposed a series of conditions for further examination of the accused to enable the police to get more details about the suspected plot. The court directed the ACP to interrogate the accused in the presence of one of his male family members. Do not adopt any coercive or third degree methods. The court said the accused was at liberty to engage the services of an advocate of his choice during the interrogation. The accused must be provided sufficient food and shelter. No threat or coercion should be made on the accused and the police should produce the accused before the court on or before April 27, 5 pm. The accused was produced before the court on April 18 before he was sent to judicial custody till May 2 for the offenses booked under sections 307 and 20 (B) of IPC. The voluntary confession of the accused at the time of arrest revealed that there was a conspiracy to kill the CM (Jagan Reddy). Unless the accused is taken into police custody, it might not be possible for the investigating agency to find out the details of the criminal conspiracy, the court felt.

AP gets new intelligence head, Vijayawada police chief

Vijayawada: Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued an order posting two senior IPS officers as AP intelligence chief and commissioner of police, Vijayawada. As per the order, Kumar Vishwajeet will be the new DGP of Intelligence. P.H.D. Ramakrishna has been appointed as the Vijayawada police commissioner. Both officers have been asked to take charge immediately. ECI had recently transferred incumbent intelligence head P.S.R. Anjaneyulu and Vijayawada commissioner Kanti Rana Tata for their lapse in providing adequate security to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, which led to a stone-pelting attack, injuring the CM above his left eyebrow. At the time, Jagan Mohan Reddy had been standing on top of the bus, greeting people as part of his Memantha Siddham programme.

Candidates Named for Lok Sabha, Assembly Seats in Andhra Pradesh

Candidates Named for Lok Sabha, Assembly Seats in Andhra Pradesh The Congress on Wednesday announced the names of its candidates for three Lok Sabha and six assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh. KBR Naidu will contest from the Narsapuram Lok Sabha constituency, SK Basheed from Rajampet and M Jagapathi from Chittoor, according to an All India Congress Committee (AICC) press release. For the assembly elections, G Tirupathi will contest from Srungavarapukota, G Anji Babu from Bapatla and C Chandra Paul from Sattenapalle. Shaik Jelani Basha will contest on a Congress ticket from the Kurnool assembly seat, M Khasim Vali from Yemmiganur and PS Murli Krishnaraju from Mantralayam. The Congress also replaced its candidates for Cheepurupalli, Vijayawada East, Tenali, Kondapi and Markapuram assembly constituencies. The party is contesting the Lok Sabha elections and the assembly polls, which are being held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh, in an alliance with its INDIA bloc partners the CPI and the CPI(M). With the latest announcement, the alliance partners have declared candidates for all Lok Sabha and assembly seats in the state, Jagna Goutham, working president of the Congress' Andhra Pradesh unit, told PTI. Elections for the 175-member assembly and the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh will be held on May 13. The votes will be counted on June 4.

YSRC Election Manifesto o be Released in a Day or Two

Vijayawada: YSRC general-secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has said that the ruling partys election 2024 manifesto will be released in a day or two. He alleged that Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan has been working exclusively for Telugu Desam chief Chandrababu Naidu. Everyone in the alliance is Naidus men and he has a habit of blaming others. The people of AP are watching the alliance dramas. Sajjala alleged that Naidu has come up with a new plan to cheat the people in 2024. The alliance has already understood that the YSRC would be victorious in this poll. Hence, the opposition is criticising us without evidence. This was the same alliance that cheated the farmers in the name of loan waiver. He blamed Pawans for trying to transfer Kapu votes to TD. I did not say anything negative about actor Chiranjeevi. What I said was there was no problem for YSRC if Chiranjeevi supports the NDA alliance. Ramakrishna Reddy said Naidu was playing various tricks to become CM. In 2014, BJP and Jana Sena supported TD. Earlier, the TD had insulted the BJP and JSP leaders. Not, they are back in an alliance, he noted. He said, It is a joke to hear Naidu saying that he has supported Dwacra women. Naidu was the one who cheated Dwacra women and he has a history of cheating, by saying that he will waive loans.

58 Nominations Filed for Vijayawada LS, 7 for Assembly Seats on Wednesday

Vijayawada : On the sixth day of nominations on Wednesday, around 58 candidates filed their papers for the Vijayawada Lok Sabha and seven assembly constituencies in the NTR district. As many as 11 nominations were received for the Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat, said the district election officer Dilli Rao. YSRC candidate Kesineni Srinivas alias Nani, Congress nominee Valluru Bhargav, TD candidates Kesineni Sivanath and Kesineni Janaki Lakshmi and some candidates of other minor political parties and independents filed their papers. Ten nominations were filed for the Vijayawada West constituency. Of these, BJP candidate Yalamanchili Satyanarayana Chowdary alias Sujana Chowdary filed two sets of nominations. CPI candidate G Koteswara Rao, YSRC candidate Shaik Asif and others filed their papers. YSRC candidate Velamapalli Srinivasa Rao, TD candidate Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao and candidates of some other parties filed their nominations for the Vijayawada Central assembly constituency. Also, seven nominations were filed for Vijayawada East. MLA Gadde Rama Mohan Rao, Gadde Kranathi Kumar and others submitted their papers. Five candidates submitted their papers for the Mylavaram assembly segment. Sitting MLA Monditoka Jagan Mohana Rao submitted his papers for the Nandigama segment. Nine nominations have been filed for Tiruvuru and four for Jaggayyapet assembly constituencies respectively. YSRC candidate Devineni Avinash filed his nominations for the Vijayawada East assembly constituency after holding a rally of his supporters. Vijayawada MP and YSRC Lok Sabha candidate Kesineni Srinivas alias Nani and his family members supported Avinash. In Krishna district, 57 nominations were filed on Wednesday. MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan from the YSRC, Yarlagadda Venkata Rao from TD and several other candidates, including some independents, filed their nominations. Housing minister Jogi Ramesh and Bode Prasad from TD filed the nominations for the Penamalur assembly seat.

Health Chief Inspects Guntur Government Hospital

Relatives gherao the Tiruchengode government hospital alleging medical negligence (Photo: DC) Relatives gherao the Tiruchengode government hospital alleging medical negligence (Photo: DC) Vijayawada: Health and family welfare commissioner S. Venkateswar made a surprise inspection of the Guntur Government Hospital on Wednesday. In particular, he focused on security in the maternal and child welfare ward. He reviewed the RFID system to combat instances of child abduction from the hospital premises. He inspected the functionality of tags fixed on infants to ensure their safety. Venkateswar ordered continuous monitoring of a mother-child pair for 24 hours. Hospital superintendent Dr. Kiran Kumar took the commissioner around the hospital.

Big Battle Ahead for Vijayawada West Assembly Segment

Y S Sujana Chowdary (Photo: DC/File) Y S Sujana Chowdary (Photo: DC/File) Vijayawada: The Vijayawada West Assembly segment is set to witness a big battle between Sk Asif of the YSRC and former Union minister Y. Sujana Chowdary.The YSRC is hopeful of retaining the seat as the minorities are a large presence in the constituency. Vijayawada West had not been very kind to the Telugu Desam. It won the seat only once, during the formation of TD in 1983. The Congress triumphed there three times, the YSRC twice, the Praja Rajyam once and CPI three times. This time, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy shifted Vijayawada West MLA Vellampalli Srinivas Rao to Vijayawada Central segment and brought former YSRC corporator Asif into the fray. Asif has a unique connect with the common man in the constituency. His opponent is an influential businessman, who headed the Hyderabad-based Sujana Group of industries before joining politics. The quitting of Jana Sena by its leader Pothina Mahesh following his failure to get the ticket this time due to the alliance constraints, and his subsequent joining into the YSRC are seen as an added advantage to Asif. Mahesh arduously worked in the West constituency for the past ten years. He lost the election in 2019 but hoped to get the JS ticket this time. Pawan Kalyan had promised to give him the ticket. But, the scenario changed due to the entry of Sujana Chowdary. Under the alliance seat-sharing formula, the west constituency went into the BJP fold and Sujana grabbed the ticket. The election fight now turned into a battle between the rich and the poor. Sujana, it is said, belonged to the elite class and Asif represented the common man. Notably, Sujana Chowdarys strong lobbying for the Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat did not succeed. The ticket for this key LS seat went to TD candidate Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni), who is now engaged in a direct battle with his brother Kesineni Nani. Nani made a crossover to the YSR Congress Party after TD denied him the ticket. YSRC candidate Asif is a local and while his rival is seen as non-local. This as also the stamp of corruption came as a big disadvantage to Sujana, as the YSRC is highlighting these in its campaign. The CPI, a part of the INDIA alliance, has also fielded its candidate B Koteswara Rao from the Vijayawada West assembly constituency. The main fight is between the YSRC and the TD-JS-BJP alliance. The constituency has large presence of Muslims, BCs and Vysyas. A sizeable number of families are of the Jain community.

Poll panel transfers State Intelligence chief, Vijayawada CP

VIJAYAWADA : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday transferred two senior IPS officers, DG (Intelligence) P Sitaramanjaneyulu and Vijayawada city commissioner of police Kanthi Rana Tata, following complaints against them by the Opposition parties. The ECI said the two officers should not be assigned any election related duties. They have been transferred with immediate effect. While Sitaramanjaneyulu is a 1992-batch officer, Rana is from the 2004 batch. The ECI has asked the Chief Secretary to submit a panel of three officers along with their APAR grading for the last five years and Vigilance Clearance, to replace the officers who have been transferred. Following the attack on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during his Memanta Siddham roadshow in Vijayawada, Rana came under Opposition criticism. The Opposition took exception to the manner in which the case was investigated and the dragging of TDP supporters into the issue. The investigation pointed to the role of a TDP leader from Vijayawada Central constituency who was picked up and later let off after probe. The YSRC targeted former MLA and TDPs Vijayawada Central candidate Bonda Umamaheswara Rao for the attack. Intelligence chief accused of tapping phones of Oppn leaders The TDP had lodged complaints against the intelligence chief, alleging that the officer was indulging in tapping phones of Opposition leaders. It may be recalled that the ECI on April 2 had transferred nine IAS and IPS officers and put them away from election-related duties. Incidentally, the poll panel had transferred AB Venkateswara Rao, the then intelligence chief, before the 2019 general elections following a series of complaints by the YSRC, who was at the time the Opposition party in the State.

Andhra Pradesh: CEO & his team keep a close watch on MCC violations, seizures reach Rs 141 crore

VIJAYAWADA : Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena and his team are keeping a close watch on electioneering in the State from the Integrated Command Control Centre (CCC) set up at the CEO office to ensure the conduct of the general elections in a free and fair manner in the State on May 13. This has resulted in seizure of more than Rs141 crore worth cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, freebies and other articles in the State after the announcement of the election schedule. The seizure so far is almost double the value of cash and other election inducements seized in the last elections, and it is a record in the history of State elections. From the CCC equipped with sophisticated gadgets, movement of vehicles passing through 358 checkposts out of the total 424 in the State is being monitored via webcasting. The violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and illegal transportation of liquor and other material are being checked effectively. The Election Commission has taken several measures to curb the illegal flow of liquor during the elections. By installing web cameras at the entry and exit points of the godowns of distilleries in the State, the movement of vehicles transporting liquor is being monitored through GPS tracking from the CCC. Similarly, the movement of 1,680 vehicles used by flying squad teams, sectoral officers and DGT vehicles used for transportation of EVMs are being tracked from the CCC.

'Electorate not so weak to be coerced by resigned volunteers': Andhra Pradesh HC

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court observed that voters are not so weak as to be coerced by the volunteers to vote in favour of someone. Hearing a petition filed by Bode Ramachandra Yadhav seeking court directions to the government not to accept the resignations of the volunteers till elections are over, as they might influence the voters, Justice B Krishnamohan said once volunteers resign, the relationship between him and the people is disconnected. In that case, how would the people be influenced, he questioned. Further, the court pointed out that volunteers are not giving money from their pockets, hence where is the question of the people listening to them? Voters will cast their vote as per their discretion when they reach the polling booth, it observed. The court also asked the petitioner, whether there were any incidents of volunteers participating in election campaigns after resignation. It directed the Election Commission to submit the details of volunteers, the number of those who resigned, and how many are presently working. Appearing for the government, Advocate General S Sriram said that after volunteers resign, the government has no power over what they do. He said they are not government employees and if they do not work for three continuous days, they can be removed. Further, he said they have replaced the Janamabhoomi committee that existed in the previous government. Even civil servants are resigning and contesting elections, he pointed out and added that after resignation from jobs, no one can be controlled. Election Commission counsel too has expressed similar argument. The case hearing was adjourned to Wednesday.

Indian Railways introduces Economy Meals at Rs 20 for general passengers

VIJAYAWADA: To provide quality, affordable and hygienic meals to rail passengers, Indian Railways in collaboration with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has introduced the concept of Economy Meals. Anticipating the surge in passenger traffic during summer, rail passengers, particularly for those travelling in general coaches, are provided with two types of meals at an affordable cost. These meal counters are now operational at over 100 stations across Indian Railways. On South Central Railway, economy meals are being served at 23 counters in 12 railway stations. These stations include Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Renigunta, Guntakal, Tirupati, Rajahmundry, Vikarabad, Pakala, Dhone, Nandyal, Purna and Aurangabad railway stations. Over Vijayawada Division, the meals are being sold at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry Station Refreshment Rooms and Jan Ahaar units. The initiative offers a two-pronged approach. One can avail Economy Meals, which is priced at Rs 20, providing a satisfying and affordable for passengers on the go. If one seeks a lighter bite, one can opt for Snack Meals priced at Rs 50. Vijayawada DRM Narendra A Patil said these meals are available at counters conveniently located near general second-class (GS) coaches on platforms. He said that the initiative aims to cater to passengers dietary needs while ensuring convenience and affordability during their journey. Earlier, this service was successfully piloted at about 51 stations last year across Indian Railways.

NDA government will abolish Land Titling Act: Chandrababu Naidu

VIJAYAWADA : Stating that people will not have any security to their lands if the Land Titling Act comes into force, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has promised to abolish it soon after the tripartite alliance comes to power in the State. Addressing public meetings at Pathapatnam and Amadalavalasa in Srikakulam district on Tuesday as part of Praja Galam, Naidu vowed to abolish garbage tax and regulate property tax. Observing that the middle-class and lower-middle-class people are suffering a lot due to the rising prices of essential commodities, the TDP chief said steps will be taken to control the prices. The TDP supremo called upon the youth to carry the flags of all the three partners of NDA to bring awareness among the people on the need to support the tripartite alliance. You (people) all got carried away by the false promises made by YSRC leaders, including its president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the last elections, and voted for that party. But Jagan, after becoming the Chief Minister without utilising the opportunity given to him, has destroyed the State, Naidu remarked. Jagan laid the foundation for devastation with the demolition of Praja Vedika and even ruined Capital Amaravati, besides causing a huge damage to Polavaram, he alleged and added that Jagan and co is ruling the roost only to loot the State. People eager to defeat Jagan: Chandrababu Naidu Naidu made it clear that the alliance of the three parties is only for the welfare and development of the State and termed Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan a hero even in real life. If youth want jobs Babu should be back in power and if people want ganja Jagan should continue, he observed. Earlier in the day, during his interaction with women at Gajapathinagaram in Vizianagaram district, Naidu promised to give equal importance to women on par with men in all the legislative bodies after the NDA comes to power. Interest-free loan of Rs 10 lakh will be provided to all Dwcra groups. I will personally take the responsibility of making all women in the State rich, he vowed.

'Who will Jagan blame if pensions are not delivered on May 1?' asks Pawan Kalyan

VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan said if the social security pensions are not distributed on May 1, it should be assumed that the State government has hatched a conspiracy. He took out an impressive rally on Tuesday for filing his nomination to contest the elections from the Pithapuram Assembly constituency. Speaking to mediapersons, the actor-politician said the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government blamed the Opposition for the delay in distribution of pensions in April for its failure to distribute pensions on time. Now, if it fails again to deliver pensions at the beneficiaries doorstep on May 1, who would be blamed, he sought to know. Time has come to put an end to the YSRC governments anarchy in the State, he said. While addressing a public meeting at Uppdada in Pithapuram, he listed out a plethora of problems bogging down the people of Kakinada region, especially Uppada. The JSP chief said fishermen of the region remain neglected as several initiatives proposed for their uplift have remained unfulfilled. The `422-crore fishing harbour project is still only on paper, he pointed out. He highlighted the unresolved issue of Kakinada SEZ lands and sought to know what happened to the promise of employment to eligible youth in the region. Warning YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy to control his tongue, Pawan asked him to refrain from passing remarks similar to the ones he made against his brother Chiranjeevi.

Andhra Pradesh: Poll officials keep vigil on code violations

Vijayawada: The state election authorities are keeping a close tab especially on violation of model code of conduct, illegal transportation of liquor and seizure of cash, precious metals and inducements, nicknamed as triple C from the integrated command and control centre. The authorities monitoring the movement of the vehicles at 358 inter-state checkposts out of a total of 423 checkposts set up in the state. According to officials, cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, freebies worth Rs 141 crore were seized so far since the commencement of model code of conduct in the state. They said that the quantum of seizures was double when compared to the seizures made ahead of the 2019 polls. The election authorities maintained that in order to control illegal transport of liquor, they had set up web cameras at entry and exist points of liquor manufacturing companies' godowns and GPS tracking was provided to vehicles transporting liquor from godowns to shops, bars and other agencies. In addition, vehicles being used by the election authorities for transporting EVMs were fixed with GPS tracking system. The officials were also keeping a tab on content being telecast by TVs during the elections. The chief electoral officer Mukesh Kumar Meena said that they were making all requisite arrangements in an unprecedented manner for the smooth conduct of the polls in the state on May 13.

TD VP Ramakrishna Reddy joins BJP

Kakinada: Telugu Desam state vice president Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at the central office at Vijayawada in the presence of the party observer Siddharth Nath Singh and the party state president Daggubati Purandeswari on Tuesday night. This evening, Ramakrishana Reddy invited nearly 50 families belonging to YSRC in Anaparthi constituency into Telugu Desam. Later, he resigned as the TD vice president and went to Vijayawada BJP office. After joining the party, the BJP leaders have given B.Form to Ramakrishna Reddy to contest from Anaparthi constituency. Initially the TD president N.Chandrababu Naidu declared his candidature to Anaparthi. But, after alliance, the BJP took the seat and declared M.S.Krishnam Raju for the party candidate. Ramakrishna Reddys followers were up in arms against the TD high command. As per the advice of Naidu, Ramakrishna Reddy joined the BJP to contest from Anaparthi constituency. The BJP withdrew its candidate Krishnam Raju from the contest. Meanwhile, Ramakrishna Reddys son Manoj Reddy has been appointed as incharge of Telugu Desam to the constituency.

SCR Announces Cancellation, diversion and Rescheduling of Trains

Visakhapatnam : The South Central Railway has announced the cancellation, diversion and rescheduling of trains due to non-interlocking works for the commissioning of the 3rd line between Bona Kalu-Chinta Kani-Pandillapalli and Errupalem-Tondalagopavaram-Madhira stations over the Kazipet-Vijayawada section. Diversion of trains: Diversion via Vijayawada-Duvvada-Vizianagaram-Rayagada-Raipur-Nagpur: Train No. 20805 (Visakhapatnam-New Delhi) and Train No. 20806 (New Delhi-Visakhapatnam) will be diverted from their existing routes to pass through Vizianagaram, Rayagada, Titlagarh, Raipur, and Nagpur. Stoppages will be eliminated at Anakapalle, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Vijayawada, Khammam, Warangal, Peddapalli, Ramagundam, Sirpur Kagaznagar, Balharshah, and Chandrapur stations. Train No. 20803 (Visakhapatnam-Gandhidham) and Train No. 20804 (Gandhidham-Visakhapatnam) will also follow this diverted route, with Stoppages were eliminated at certain stations. Diversion via Vijayawada-Duvvada-Vizianagaram-Rayagada-Raipur-Nagpur: Train No. 18519 (Visakhapatnam-LTT) and Train No. 18520 (LTT-Visakhapatnam) will be diverted through Vijayawada-Guntur-Pagidipalli-Secunderabad route instead of the existing route via Kazipet. Stoppages will be eliminated at Kazipet station. Similarly, other trains like Train No. 18045 (Shalimar-Hyderabad), Train No. 18046 (Hyderabad-Shalimar), Train No. 11019 (CSMT-Bhubaneswar), and Train No. 11020 (Bhubaneswar-CSMT) will be diverted via this route, with specific stoppages eliminated. Diversion via Vijayawada-Guntur-Nandyal-Guntakal-Ballari: Train No. 18112 (Yeshvantpur-Tata) will follow this diverted route with stoppages eliminated at Raichur, Yadgir, Chittapur, Tandur, Vikarabad, Lingampalli, Secunderabad, Moula Ali, Warangal, and Khammam stations. Elimination of stoppages: Stoppages at Madhira Station for certain trains, including Train No. 11020 (Bhubaneswar-CSMT Konark Exp), Train No. 12861 (Visakhapatnam-Mahbubnagar Exp), and Train No. 12862 (Mahbubnagar-Visakhapatnam Exp) will be eliminated on specific days. Rescheduling of trains: Additionally, there will be rescheduling of trains, including Train No. 20833 (Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad Vande Bharat) and Train No. 20834 (Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat) with varying reschedule times at Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad stations on specific dates. The South Central Railway advises passengers to check updated schedules and plan their travel accordingly, considering the diversions and rescheduling of train services due to the ongoing non-interlocking works.

AP: Jagan Regularised Contract Staff in AP

Vijayawada: YSRC-affiliated YSR Trade Union state president P. Gowtham Reddy has criticised TD chief N. Chandrababu for spreading a bunch of lies against the state government with regard to government staff. Addressing a press conference at the YSRC central office in Tadepalli on Tuesday, Gowtham Reddy said after YSRC has come to power, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has regularised contract and outsourced employees in the state. The state government has also supported auto drivers, weavers, fishermen and other professional workers by providing financial assistance every year, he pointed out. The trade union leader said government employees, labourers, contract and outsourcing employees are with the YSRC. They would vote for the ruling party in the upcoming elections, he maintained.

SCR and IRCTC launch affordable meal counters across key stations

HYDERABAD: As a part of an Indian Railways initiative, the SCR, along with IRCTC, is providing meals at affordable prices across 23 counters at 12 stations, including Hyderabad and Vikarabad stations. The meals have been named economy and snack meals. While the former is priced at Rs 20, the latter costs Rs 50. These meals, along with water facilities, are available at counters located near general second-class (GS) coaches on platforms. The zone is also providing the meals at Vijayawada, Renigunta, Guntakal, Tirupati, Rajahmundry, Pakala, Dhone, Nandyal, Purna, and Aurangabad railway stations. Based on the success of a pilot project across around 51 stations last year, the Indian Railways decided to expand the programme, with counters operational at over 100 stations and nearly 150 counters in total. The initiative is slated for further growth, encompassing even more stations in the near future.

Karnataka: Cook flees with Rs 50 lakh loot from employers home, caught

BENGALURU: The Mahadevapura police arrested a cook who had fled with valuables worth Rs 50 lakh from the house of his employer. The police identified the accused as Surendra Kumar Kamat (36), a native of Bihar, who was working at the residence of Amit Jain, the CEO of a private firm, for over three-and-a-half years. He was given accommodation in the same house, located at Doddanekkundi. Police said Jain and his family members were away attending a function in Mumbai on April 12, and the theft came to light when they returned on April 15. Kamat, who was given care of the house, was absconding, after allegedly stealing gold jewellery and diamonds worth over Rs 50 lakh, along with Rs 12,000 cash. Jain had filed a complaint suspecting Kamats role, following which the police launched a manhunt to trace the accused. A team was dispatched to Bihar where they gathered information from his family members, leading them to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, where Kamat was reportedly hiding. On April 18, the police team nabbed Kamat at the railway station, the police added.

APCC woman leader refuses assembly ticket

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) working president Sunkara Padmasree has refused to accept Congress high commands offer to contest from the Vijayawada East assembly constituency. She maintained that instead, she will work for the win of Congress candidates. Padmasree clarified that she had no interest in contesting as an MLA candidate. She said she had wished to contest from the Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency. The party has finalised the name of Valluru Bhargav as MP candidate from the Vijayawada parliament seat. He will be contesting against TD candidate Kesineni Sivanath alias Chinni and YSRC candidate Kesineni Srinivas alias Nani.

234 Habitations in AP Getting Water Through Tankers

Vijayawada: Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy has directed district collectors to undertake large-scale employment work in all villages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. He held a video meeting with the collectors from the CS camp office here on Tuesday to discuss electricity supply situation, drinking water, employment guarantee works and water supply. He said employment guarantee work should be undertaken on a large scale in all the villages. The CS directed the collectors to fill the summer storage tanks with water from Prakasam Barrage and through the right main canal of Nagarjuna Sagar, while reviewing the situation of drinking water. Likewise, the process of supplying fresh water through tanks to the drinking water-stressed habitations and colonies in rural and urban areas should be continuously monitored. The situation at the field level should be examined from time to time and necessary steps taken to ensure that there is no problem of drinking water anywhere, he said. Jawahar Reddy reviewed the electricity supply situation in the state. He asked the officials of Transco about the complaints received from the people regarding supply and asked how long it would take for them to be resolved. State water resources, Panchayat Raj and rural development chief secretary Shashi Bhushan explained that under the employment guarantee scheme, 22.59 lakh labourers were given work on Monday and the collectors have been advised to keep it available. Every effort has been made by the collectors of districts to supply good water through tanks to the habitations in need of drinking water. Currently, 234 habitations are being supplied with good water through tankers, he said.

TD Distances Itself from Modis Remarks against Muslims

Vijayawada: The Telugu Desam has distanced itself from the anti-Muslim remarks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rajasthan on Sunday. We are committed to safeguard Muslim interests in AP, the party said on Tuesday. The Prime Minister, in a controversial speech at an election rally, called Muslims as infiltrators and outsiders having large families and said they were the cause of unequal distribution of wealth in the country. Criticism is sharp against Modis hate speech and many observers stressed that Muslims are an integral part of the population and they mostly upheld the cause of secularism. In AP, the Telugu Desam allied with the BJP and Jana Sena to contest the present elections with a common objective to unseat the ruling YSRC from power. TD has a sizeable Muslim support base. Telugu Desam president Nara Chandrababu Naidu has been trying to woo Muslims in this polls and even made a promise that the four per cent reservation to them would be restored. In this context, some indications were that a section of the Muslims would support the TD. However, the statement of the PM has caused embarrassment to the TD. A senior TD leader said, We will not accept Modis remarks on Muslims but we will check the context in which he remarked. The BJP government brought in a law against Triple Talaq and this provided considerable relief to Muslim women. Political analysts say that though Muslims are a traditional vote bank for Congress, they switched their loyalty to the YSRC after the 2014 state bifurcation. However, some sections of Muslims are supporting the TD. But, with the revival of the state Congress led by Y.S. Sharmila, they appear to be in a mood to back the tricolour party in the Rayalaseema region, the analysts note. President of the Muslim Personal Law Board of India (AP), Moulana Mohammad Ali, said, We do not accept Modis remarks against us. However, we understand that such remarks were made by him in certain local contests in Rajasthan, with a view to deriving political mileage for the BJP there.

VMC Mobile Court Fines Violators of Rules Rs 17,010

Vijayawada: Judge B. Vijay Kumar Reddy on Tuesday heard 35 cases of littering roads, doing business without a licence, obstructing the flow of sewage, keeping pets on roads, and running businesses without a license at a mobile court in Circle 2 of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC). He imposed on various violators a total fine of Rs 17,010. The cases had been booked by sanitary inspectors of the corporation. VMC commissioner Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar said the mobile court will hear cases every Tuesday against those who litter roads and violate various other rules of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation. Swapnil warned that if the same person is found violating the corporation rules a second time, stricter action will be taken against them, including revocation of the licence.

EC transfers Andhra Pradesh intelligence chief, Vijayawada Police Commissioner

Vijayawada : The Election Commission transferred two senior IPS officers with immediate effect in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. They are intelligence DGP, P. Sitaramanjaneyulu and Vijayawada police commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata. The ECI stated that the two officers should not be assigned any election-related work. The two senior IPS officers were blamed for the security lapse during the tour of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy under the Memantha Siddham programme, wherein he suffered injury above his left eyebrow when a resident of Vaddera Colony pelted a cement-concrete stone on him on April 13. The intelligence chief failed to gather requisite intelligence about the impending danger to the VVIP while the CP too failed in providing foolproof security cover. Notably, a report titled AP Intelligence failure leaves VIP lives in danger, appeared in Deccan Chronicle on April 19, 2024, highlighting the failure of the intelligence wing of AP police when the campaign was progressing for the assembly and Lok Sabha polls, slated for May 13.

EC transfers Andhra Pradesh intelligence chief, Vijayawada police Commissioner after stone pelting attack on CM | Mint - Mint

EC transfers Andhra Pradesh intelligence chief, Vijayawada police Commissioner after stone pelting attack on CM | Mint Mint