Hyderabad Political News 11-07-07

Behind The Scene: Desam, TRS vie for PJR!

Now that Khairatabad MLA P Janardhan Reddy has entered into a collision course with Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, he has become the most sought after leader for both the Telugu Desam and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, obviously with an eye on the forthcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.

Sources close to PJR say both the TD and TRS had sent feelers to him for joining them in their fight against YSR. At the behest of TD president N Chandrababu Naidu, several Desam leaders from Hyderabad including Talasani Srinivasa Yadav and G Sayanna called on PJR and extended their solidarity with him. Some of the TD leaders also addressed press conferences in support of PJR. Interestingly, PJR himself told mediapersons on Tuesday that he had never faced such a humiliation even during NTR and Chandrababu regimes.

On the other hand, TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao has been in constant touch with PJR. Obviously, KCR is looking for a leader to replace Narendra to give aggressiveness to the Telangana movement. Therefore, he has given a Telangana twist to the PJR episode, by claiming that PJR and his family are being targetted for their fighting for the Telangana cause and that it is part of a bigger conspiracy of implementing a hidden agenda of harassing the separate Telangana leaders and demoralise them. So far, PJR has not given any positive signals to the TRS leadership, sources say.

Undavalli to revive attack on Ramoji

Grossly upset with the lack of progress in the CID inquiry against Margadarsi Financiers headed by media baron Ramoji Rao, Rajahmundry MP Undavalli Arun Kumar is learnt to have decided to expose both the inefficiency of the State administration as well as Ramoji Rao's manipulative tactics in his forthcoming weekly "Ee Varam."

Arun Kumar's new weekly, which is expected to hit the stands by August 15, is all set to revive the attack on Ramoji Rao. Sources say Arun Kumar had gathered more evidences against Margadarsi's illegal collection of deposits and is going to serialise them in his weekly. However, he wants to be careful in running the stories, so as to dispel the arguments that he would be going too personal against Ramoji Rao.

Sources say Arun Kumar is planning to employ the same tactics being used by the electronic media – sting operations – to dig out the illegal activities in Ramoji Film City and also the miseries of employees working in the RFC. "It is going to be an interesting reading. We need to expose this exploitation of people in the garb of media," he says.

Hyderabad Buzz: No sympathy to PJR in Cong

Though there have been many fans for Khairatabad MLA P Janardhan Reddy and enemies for Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy in the State Congress, hardly any Congress leader came to the support of PJR in his latest scuffle with the Chief Minister's family.

Except Shadnagar MLA P Shankar Rao and Sanathnagar MLA M Shashidhar Reddy, not a single member in the Congress Legislature Party came in support of PJR and the latter had to defend himself. Mediapersons desperately tried to provoke the other Telangana Congress leaders like Palvai Goverdhan Reddy, but they all tried to escape from the embarassment describing it as a personal matter between PJR and YSR families, though heart in hearts, they were sympathetical towards PJR. Their primary concern was not to create an impression in the mind of the Congress high command that there is a conspiracy against the Chief Minister. Naturally, they all have to save their skins.

Interestingly, PCC president K Kesava Rao, who failed to broker peace between YSR and PJR, has taken a stand against PJR. Obviously, he might have received the message from the high command that there is no need to spare PJR, in the wake of reports that he is looking for other alternatives to the Congress. So, the PCC is all set for a showdown with PJR!!

Fact Sheet: TD leaders' double standards!

Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu, who cries from the roof tops about the highhanded behaviour of the Congress leaders and their disregard for the law of the land, is blind to the hooliganism resorted to by his own party MLAs.

The way Desam MLA Chengala Venkat Rao behaved in the Visakhapatnam District Review Committee meeting on Tuesday exposes the double standards of the TD leadership. The MLA from Payakaraopet not only prevented the meeting from taking up of the agenda by forcibly snatching papers from the Zilla Parishad chief executive officer P Rama Rao, but also roughed up a constable who was posted there to ensure peaceful conduct of the proceedings. The district officials, who were upset with the MLA's highhanded behaviour, boycotted the meeting, which was ultimately adjourned without taking up any proceedings. The officials demanded that the MLA should tender a written apology to them.

Surprisingly, Venkat Rao received support from CPI leaders, who were also opposing the Bauxite factory proposed to be set up by Jindal group. They said there was nothing wrong on the part of the MLA, as the police constable appeared like a Congress goonda. The TD MLA's unruly behaviour was not condemned by Naidu at all!