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Separate Telangana: Komatireddy Fast Enters Day 5

Former minister and Congress MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy's indefinite fast at Nalgonda for carving of a separate Telangana state has entered Fifth day today on 05-11-11.   Speaking to the media on Friday, Venkat Reddy said that that he would continue his hunger fast until the Centre announces a roadmap for the formation of a separate Telangana state and he was ready to sacrifice his life for the cause of a separate Telangana state. "I want to fulfil the aspirations of the people in the region. Except statehood, the Telangana people are not asking for anything," he stated. Stating that he has been observing the fast as an ordinary Congress worker, Komatireddy said, "It is the responsibility of senior Congress leaders to inform Congress president Sonia Gandhi of my hunger fast." Meanwhile, the doctors treating Komatireddy said that his condition has deteriorated due to a fall in his blood pressure and sugar levels. They said that Komatireddy was suffering from fever, cough and infection. Komatireddy has refusing to take treatment.                                                                                     Source : TV9

Jagan Asks CBI to Question Naidu on OMC Irregularities

Kadapa MP and YSR Congress president YS Jagana Mohan Reddy on Friday appeared before CBI for questioning in Gali Janardhan Reddy's OMC illegal mining case. He urged the investigating agency to question former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the alleged irregularities in Obulapuram Mining Corporation (OMC) lease. Speaking to the media after a two and a half hour long questioning by officials of the CBI at their Koti office, Mr Jaganmohan Reddy flashed a Government Order issued by the then Chief Minister Mr. Naidu giving 64 acre lease to Rammohan Reddy of Obulapuram Mining Corporation in 2002. Jagan told the media that he had asked the CBI officials why it should not be construed that it was Mr. Naidu, who had issued the GO. "I asked them why Mr. Naidu should not be questioned in connection with issuance of this GO," he said. "Please take the GO into consideration and summon Mr. Naidu for questioning," Mr Jagan said. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said it was 18 months since the CBI had undertaken probe into alleged irregularities in the OMC mining. During course of their investigation, they had summoned Home Minister P.Sabitha Indra Reddy as a witness and taken her opinion. "In the same manner, I was called as a witness to give my opinion and not as an accused in the case," he observed. "And this amply proves that I have nothing to do with OMC illegal mining case," he added. He directed his ire at two Telugu dailies and a Telugu news channel for targeting him repeatedly. "Do these media houses have any journalistic values," he questioned. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy was accompanied by Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, MLAs - T.Balaraju and B. Babu Rao. The entire CBI complex was teeming with police personnel with an elaborate security cordon thrown around it.     Video Source: snehatv.com  

Konda Laxman Bapuji T-fast Enters Day 3

Famous freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh, 97 year old Konda Laxman Bapuji has taken up a week-days fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi demanding Centre to initiate process for the formation of a separate Telangana state. Bapuji's fast entered its third day on Thursday. Fasting Konda Laxman Bapuji didn't agree to break his fast today when senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandez has appealed to him fervently saying that the Congress party is bound to take an early and positive decision about separate Telangana. Bapuji said that he will not break his fast until the government comes out with a clear statement. BJP's senior leader Nirmala Sitharaman also met Bapuji and assured support on behalf of her party. Bapuji said that he is hopeful that the government will announce formation of separate Telangana before his fast ends (He has been given permission to fast for one week only).     Video Source: snehatv.com  

Fast For Telangana: Komatireddi Health Deteriorating

Former mnister and Congress MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy's indefinite fast at Nalgonda for carving of a separate Telangana state has entered third day today on 03-11-11. Venkat Reddy lost about 4 kgs of weight and his BP, Sugar levels also have fallen down. Family members and followers are worried about the health condition of the fasting Congress leader. Speaking to the media, Venkat Reddy said that he has taken up the indefinite fast to put pressure on the Congress high command to take an early and positive decision about the contentious Telangana issue. There is no question of breaking the fast , till the center comes out with a positive response towards Telangana. He said that more than his health condition, what is worrying him is the fast eroding popularity of Congress party in the region. People are still hopeful that Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, who has given assurance of a separate Telangana on December 9, 2009, will definitely stick to her word. "I too am hopeful that she wouldn't disappoint the people of Telangana," he added.     Video Source: snehatv.com  

Komatireddy Starts Indefinite Fast For Telangana

Former minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Tuesday started an indefinite hunger strike to pressurise the central government to initiate the process to carve out a separate Telangana state immediately. Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who resigned as minister last month protesting the delay in formation of Telangana, began his indefinite fast in Nalgonda town in the presence of some party MPs from the region. "I am ready to sacrifice my life for the cause of Telangana. There is no question of calling off the fast," he told a huge gathering. Venkat Reddy alleged that ministers from Telangana were the main hurdle in the formation of a separate state. Congress MPs, who were present at the venue, criticized their own party for not taking a clear stand in favour of Telangana. Rajya Sabha member K. Keshava Rao said it was a shame that Congress MPs participating in Telangana movement were being implicated in false cases and sent to jail. MPs K. Rajagopal Reddy, G. Vivek and Ponnam Prabhakar were also present.  

Telangana Mourns AP Formation Day

Andhra Pradesh Formation Day on November 1, today, has ironically become a symbolic occasion to term it as 'Betrayal Day' by the pro-Telangana groups. It was on this day that the Telangana districts were merged with the coastal and rayala-seema districts 55 years ago to make Andhra Pradesh the first state to be formed on linguistic basis in 1956. Today is Andhra Pradesh's formation day but in the state there is little reason to cheer for. The Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is scheduled to hoist the flag and be the chief guest at the main event at NTR Staidum on Tuesday morning. With the state government calling upon collectors to officiate at the events, the Telangana ministers and MLAs are set to stay away from the formation Day festivites. Even as security was tightened at the venues in Hyderabad and the other Telangana districts where the official flaghoisting ceremonies are slated to take place on Tuesday on the occasion of AP Formation Day, Telangana political JAC chairman M Kodandaram on Monday asked the people to hoist black flags in every street across the region on November 1 as well as prevent the ministers and MLAs from taking part in the official functions slated for the day. More unrest is likely in the T region with the TRS on Monday calling the people to boycott the Rachabanda which is slated to begin on November 2. The Telangana ministers had said that they would take part in the programme and in response, the TRS called upon the people of the region to gherao the Congress ministers and MLAs and prevent them from taking part.

Loyal T Congress MLAs Get 'Fortuner'

With 3 of its MLAs (One of them is a former minister) switching over to TRS party, the Congress leadership started damage control operations by gifting highend SUVs to young Telangana Congress MLAs to see that they too do not jump the fence. Sources told that 15 Telangana Congress MLAs were the benefactors as each one of them was gifted a Toyota Fortuner sports utility vehicle, costing a whopping Rs 25 lakh each. The desperation in the Congress camp was evident as the young legislators were presented the premium SUVs a few days back. Some of the MLAs had threatened to quit in support of the separate Telangana demand. It is already known that on Sunday, former minister Jupalli Krishna Rao, MLAs T Rajaiah and Somarapu Satyanarayana resigned from the primary membership of Congress and joined KCR's Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Among those who became richer with 'Fortuner SUVs' were Alair, Devarakonda, Shadnagar, Husnabad, Manakondur, Mahabubabad, Wardhannapet, Bhoopalapally, Pinapaka, Medchal, Nakrekal and Alampoor MLAs. Sources said Alampoor and Nakrekal legislators refused to take possession of the vehicles as they were worried about the backlash from their followers and Telangana activists if they were to accept the gift. After receiving the Fortuners, some of the MLAs had a closed-door meeting in a hotel in Hyderabad and expressed their wish to tone down the Telangana demandfor the time being.

KCR Forecasts End of Congress in Telangana

"Days have gone when people used to speculate that Telangana Rashtra Samithi would ultimately merge with the Congress party. Now the time has taken turn for the Congress to merge with the TRS," says TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao. KCR, speaking at function held to welcome three Congress MLAs - Jupalli Krishna Rao, T Rajaiah and Somarapu Satyanarayana and hundreds of their supporters into the TRS fold, cautioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson against testing the patience of Telangana people. He said Congress and all other political parties would soon lose their political livelihood in the region if they failed to respect public sentiment. "The Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi must remember that more MLAs are willing to join us, not only from Congress but other parties also. The day is not far away when the Congress will have to merge with TRS," warned the leader. A jubilant KCR said "We will dictate terms to Delhi by winning all seats in the region. We forced the Centre to concede Telangana on Dec 9, 2009. In the future, they will have no choice but to abide by their earlier announcement on initiating the process of formation of Telangana state. We once again demand the PM and UPA chairperson to honour their word."

Congress Core Group Discusses Telangana Issue

After BJP's senior leader L K Advani declared his party's support to the separate statehood a week ago, the Congress core group met for the first time to discuss the contentious T-issue and electoral reforms. Sources said the meeting that lasted for one-and-a-half hours deliberated at length over the Telangana imbroglio, over which almost all parties in Andhra Pradesh are sharply divided on regional lines. AICC general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad was specially called to the core group meeting which was also attended by other core group members Pranab Mukhkerjee, A K Antony, P Chidambaram and Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel. Though there is no official word on what was discussed and decided on the Telangana issue, sources pointed out that the Congress Central leadership wanted to buy time for consultations among the UPA partners and thereafter with recognised political parties both at the national and state level to arrive at a "consensus" on the issue. Sources also said that the whole exercise may stretch for another two months, probably upto January 2012.  

Ministerial Berths Lure Back T Congress MLAs

Around fifteen Congress MLAs from the Telangana region, said to be aspiring for ministerial berths in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, met at a hotel in Hyderabad on Friday. Critical of their seniors and the steering committee of the Telangana Congress, they have decided not to antagonize the party leadership in New Delhi and chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. They decided to go slow on the Telangana movement in the hope that they would find a place in the cabinet in the reshuffle that is expected soon. The MLAs said they would participate in the Rachchabanda programme with the idea of pleasing the chief minister. However, they decided to boycott the AP Formation Day celebrations on November 1. It is for the first time that the Telangana Congress MLAs met after the total withdrawal of the Sakala Janula Samme by the state government employees. At maximum, the MLAs said they would go to New Delhi and sit on a fast for a day or two if no positive decision on Telangana is forthcoming before the winter session. The MLAs urged the state government to come to the aide of the farmers who lost their standing crop due to disruption in the power supply during the strike. "The state government should offer them help in the form of input subsidy," Bhupalpalli MLA Gandra Venkataramana Reddy told the media. The MLAs also urged the government to withdraw all the cases booked against the employees during the 42-day long Sakala Januala Samme. The MLAs present in the meeting were K Laxma Reddy, G Prasad Kumar, B Raji Reddy, Pratap Reddy, VM Abraham, T Narsa Reddy, A Pravin Reddy, A Mohan, Somarapu Satyanarayana, Gandra Venkataramana Reddy, M Kavitha, T Rajaiah, K Sridhar, Balu Naik, Bikshapati Goud, T Lingaiah, and Rega Kantha Rao.

Kodandaram, Swamy Goud May go on Indefinite Fast

There has been a widespread criticism that the Sakala Janula Samme has been brought to an abrupt end without receiving any concrete assurance from the Centre. Even some of the employees unions who participated in the 42 day long strike have alleged that the employees JAC has mortgaged the Telangana movement by calling off the strike without any reason. Certainly, this has put the TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, Telangana political joint action committee chairman M Kodandaram and TNGOs president Swamy Goud to seriously contemplate undertaking an indefinite fast either in New Delhi or Hyderabad to coincide with the start of the winter session of Parliament. TJAC is also under pressure from various groups not to let go off the current opportunity wherein the Telangana issue has assumed immense priority both at the state and Centre. Sources said though the issue came up for discussion several times earlier, several TJAC leaders wanted K Chandrasekhar Rao to take direct control of the movement while Kodandaram confines himself to the single point agenda of an indefinite fast by insisting on introduction of Telangana bill in Parliament during the upcoming winter session. TRS politburo is also of the opinion that KCR shouldn't take up fasting as of now and the focus has shifted to Kodandaram and Swamy Goud.

Sakala Janula Samme: TEJAC Leaders Under Fire

The reasons behind TEJAC withdrawing Sakala Janula Samme have come to fore finally. Though the TEJAC leaders were vehement in saying that they are calling off the 42 day long strike keeping in view the hardships it is causing to the general public, but the real reasons seem to be entirely different. The Joint Struggle Committee of the unions of Telangana officers, employees, teachers and workers has come down heavily on TEJAC leaders terming them betrayers of Telangana for withdrawing the stir of government employees for ‘selfish reasons’. The committee criticised TEJAC leaders for raising non-issues unrelated to Telangana rather than focusing on the central demand of introducing a Bill in Parliament to form a separate state. TEJAC leaders had mortgaged the interests of the people of the region as they did at the time of the non-cooperation stir in January last, said the committee, which exhorted people to stone the 'betrayers'. A statement issued by leaders of the committee, including Mr K. Gopal Reddy, Mr E. Venkatesam, Mr T. Prabhakar, Mr G. Venkateswarlu, Mr B. Ramsetty, Mr B. Nagesh and Mr B. Raghu, pointed out that the TEJAC leaders also deliberately ignored the demand for separate Telangana in the talks they held with the government on Monday. The committee also asked the government not to withdraw inquiry against the TEJAC chairman, Mr K. Swamy Goud, over the alleged irregularities in allotting house sites through TNGOs Housing Society and for also possessing three house sites in his name in three housing societies. Further, the panel asked the state to suspend Mr Goud from the post of the president of the TNGOs Housing Society.  

Sakala Janula Samme Called Off

The 42 day long Sakala Janula Samme or the people's strike by pro-Telangana government employees in Andhra Pradesh demanding creation of a separate state, was called off late Monday evening following marathon discussions between the agitators and the government. The employees, on strike since September 13 as part of the 'Sakala Janula Samme' (strike by all sections) in support of a host of demands including a timeline for statehood to the region, called it off after several rounds of discussions with Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and senior officials at the state secretariat in Hyderabad. The government has accepted nine demands made by the striking employees. D Nagender, Minister for Labour and Employment said the state government has agreed to implement most of the employees' demands and some of the issues, which are not under the state government's purview, will be referred to the central government. "We sincerely thank the employees for calling off their strike. The Chief Minister has agreed to most of their demands. The employees have understood the situation and agreed to join duties from Tuesday," Nagender told reporters after the talks were successfully concluded. Telangana Political Joint Action Committee Chairman Kodandaram said the employees have called of their strike "temporarily" and thanked them for their support to the Telangana cause. Minister of Finance A Ramanarayana Reddy said the salary for the strike period will be given to the employees as special advance keeping in view the festive season. Employees said they will resume their duties from Tuesday.  

Sakala Janula Samme: CM Meeting Telangana Leaders

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy's meeting with leaders of Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (TEJAC) is taking place today (24 October 2011). The meeting is being attended by chairperson M Kodandaram, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR) and representatives of different unions. The meeting holds significance because it will decide on the future of the strike. Talks are also on with Telangana employees unions to ask them to rejoin work in the light of the appeal made by Union Minister and in-charge of Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh, Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday. Talking to reporters in Delhi, Mr Azad had yestrday said, "There is a prolonged agitation in Telangana by employees of the state government. It is almost five weeks since it started. As a result, the general public is suffering... facing hardships particularly during the festival days. I would like to appeal to the employees of Telangana to call off the strike." Telangana region has been on a standstill for weeks as pro-Telangana leaders have been protesting against the Centre's inaction in giving the region a separate state status. The protesters continued Sakala Janula Samme with rallies and other protests on Sunday in support of their demand. Leaders of pro-Telangana employees of the state electricity department observed a fast in Hyderabad, while several leaders from BJP and TRS expressed solidarity with them. Pro-Telangana employees have been participating in the general strike since September 13 but various unions of employees like those of teachers have withdrawn their stir in the last couple of weeks. However, some pro-Telangana employees still are continuing their strike.  

Employees Under Pressure From Their Families: TJAC

Even as Sakala Janula Samme demanding carving out of a separate Telangana state completes 39 days, the 'restless' employees want their leaders to end the stir immediately. The reason for employees restlessness is said to be pressure from their families. Apart from this, a section of the employees have started building pressure on the JAC to immediately call of the strike fearing action by the respective departments. Highly placed government sources said employee leaders have been asked to call off their strike and report to duties within the next 72 hours. A section of the senior revenue staff have already assured the department head of resuming duties from Monday. With no breakthrough in talks with the respective department heads even on Friday, no activity has been reported from departments like energy, MAUD, panchayat raj, transport, treasury and revenue. The festival of lights, Deepavali, is also giving blues to the employee leaders, who are being flooded with requests for small amounts. "With none of the political parties that promised to beg and support them financially during the strike period not coming forth with any assurance, we are feeling guilty about the situation. In a way, we are helpless," said the TEJAC leader. Some of the employee leaders on condition of anonymity said they were being asked by a considerable section of the employees to call of the strike as they were under pressure from their families. "We are being asked to tone down our approach," said a TEJAC leader. "We are being asked to take a cue from teachers, RTC workers and coal miners who have called off the strike after getting an assurance from the government on the loss of man days and payment of salary during strike period," he added.  

T-protagonists Try to Storm Kodandaram Residence

Alleging that Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) convenor prof. M kodandaram is trying to dilute the Telangana agitation, a posse of T-protagonists tried to storm his residence at Tarnaka in Hyderabad on Friday. Raising slogans against Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Prof M Kodandaram, the activists alleged that the TP-JAC chairman went to New Delhi to settle the financial package to dilute the Sakala Janula Samme, the general strike of employees demanding statehood for Telangana region. TPF-JAC convenor Gajjela Kantham sought explanation from Kodandaram as to why he discontinued Telangana statehood agitation in midway after return from New Delhi. Alleging that Kodandaram was behaving like former chief minister Marri Chenna Reddy, Kantham asked him to explain as to why he went to New Delhi without receiving any invitation from the Centre to discuss the statehood issue. He asked Kodandaram and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao to give a detailed explanation on what transpired between them and the Congress High Command during the visit. When lakhs of employees were participating in the general strike for the statehood without bothering about their salaries, Kantham alleged that Kodandaram suddenly reversed his stand and mde JACs to withdraw from the agitation. He also sought explanation from the TRS leaders over the allegations of allotment of Polavaram irrigation project contract tenders. Meanwhile, TRS and TPJAC activists came to spot and raised slogans against Gajjela Kantham and condemned him for criticizing Prof Kodandaram. Tension prevailed at the spot with both the groups entering into verbal dual. However, the police swung into action and dispersed both the groups. A few of activists who tried to storm into Kodandaram's residence were also taken into custody. They were later shifted to a nearby police station.     Video Source: Sakshitvcom  

T-Cong MPs to Complain Against Chief Minister

The Telangana Congress MPs K Kesava Rao, Ponnam Prabhakar, Madhu Yashki Goud and S. Rajaiah left for Delhi on Thursday to talk to the central Congress leaders and bring pressure on them to announce a road map on Telangana. They will also brief the latest situation in Telangana region on account of delay in announcing T state by Centre. The MPs are expected to lodge a complaint against the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, for his proactive role in harassing, arresting and putting party MPs behind the bars during the rail roko agitation only with an intention to intimidating the Congress leaders. The MPs will return and participate in October 22 meeting which is aimed at preparing an action plan. In a related development the CM on Thursday evening closeted with few Congress leaders from Nalgonda district on how to deal with the situation in case Mr Komatireddy Venkata reddy launched his fast. Former ministers, Mr R. Damodara Reddy, Mr Vuppunutala Purushottam Reddy, Mr Palvai Govardhan Reddy and senior MLA Mr Uttam kumar Reddy attended the meet.

T-Congress to Observe Great Betrayal Day

The miffed Telangana Congress leaders, particularly the MPs, have decided to organise a meeting on October 22 in Hyderabad and call for boycotting the AP State Formation Day celebrations on 1 November and observe a "Great Betrayal Day" in order to register protest against the delay by the Centre on Telangana demand. A meeting of all important Congress functionaries from the mandal to state level would be organised at the Exhibition Grounds on October 22 to formulate future action plan for achieving separate T state. The Karimnagar MP, Mr Ponnam Prabhakar, told reporters that all the ministers, MPs and legislators from the region would attend the meeting. He said it is most likely the meeting may ask all the Telangana ministers to boycott participating in the state Formation Day celebrations. Meanwhile, the former minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, on Thursday declared he would start fast-unto-death from November 1 at Nalgonda. He warned the government any attempt to disrupt his fast would be strongly resisted. However, the presence of Telangana ministers and MLAs at the October 22 meeting has become doubtful as majority of them have already been convinced by the Chief Minister and have started distancing themselves from attending to such meetings.  

PM Finally Talks About Resolving Telangana Tangle

Without revealing possible time frame for resolving the contentious Telangana tangle, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that resolving the crisis would 'take some time'. He said this while interacting with mediapersons on Wednesday on a flight back to India after attending the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) summit in Pretoria, South Africa. Acknowledging that there were difficulties in formulating solutions to the long-standing issue, Dr. Singh asserted that the government was taking all possible steps to quell the row. "There are difficulties in arriving at quick decision. There is a long history of the Telangana movement, which is not a new movement. It has been there since the mid-fifties and given the complications involved in settlement, it will take some time and that is why we have been engaged in widespread dialogue discussions with all the stake holders and it is our hope that out of that will emerge a solution which is a win-win situation for all concerned," Dr. Singh added.