Talk about being in a pressure-cooker-like environment. That is precisely where Bandaru Satyananda Rao, the victorious Telugu Desam candidate from Kothapeta Assembly constituency in Dr Ambedkar Konaseema district, finds himself in. Having promised that he would give every woman voter in the constituency a pressure cooker if elected, Satyananda Rao, after his win, is now facing the reckoning. To convince the women voters, coupons were distributed by his party cadres and the women were told that once the TD leader wins, they can exchange the coupons for cookers from his residence. But with a three-litre pressure cooker costing more than `300, even at wholesale prices, it has emerged that the newly-minted TD MLA will have to dig up anywhere between `5 crore and `7 crore to fulfil his promise. His political opponents are gleefully watching and claiming that the new MLA’s plans to raise funds by selling sand is now a goner with the TD government making supply of sand free to those building houses. Meanwhile, word doing the rounds is that the women don’t want a small three-litre cooker but something bigger, with some asking for at least a 10-litre cooker. That is some pressure on Satyananda Rao and his followers right now.
CM REVANTH TURNS SUPERMAN
In what can only be described as a whirlwind marathon of sheer energy, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy appears to have earned the title of a 'workaholic CM'. Fresh off a power-packed 12-day tour of the USA and South Korea, where he locked in over `30,000 crore in investments, the CM returned to Hyderabad on August 14 at 11 am. One would have expected that the jet lag would take its toll but after a jubilant reception at the airport and a rally that saw him reach his residence at his Jubilee Hills only by 2 pm, Revanth was back up and running and by 4 pm, inaugurating Cognizant's second campus in Kokapet. The next morning, on August 15, he was crisscrossing the city from 7 am, laying a wreath at the Army Martyrs Memorial at Parade Ground in Secunderabad, and then leading the official celebrations at Golconda Fort where he hoisted the National Flag and delivered the state address. But he wasn’t done yet. Hopping aboard a helicopter, he was soon in Khammam district to launch the Sita Rama lift irrigation scheme before rallying with farmers in Wyra and distributing crop loan waivers. And just when his staff thought the CM might finally slow down, he dashed off to Delhi on August 17 to meet Foxconn chairman Young Liu, courting investments for Telangana’s Fourth City. The CM’s delegation, still recovering from their international trip, was left in awe as the team members battled their own jet lag while Revanth powered through his duties without missing a beat.
LOKESH WAVES HIS RED BOOK WITH PRIDE
It may not be long before some folks from the YSRC might start seeing red. Literally. This prospect assumed serious possibility with TD general secretary and HRD minister Nara Lokesh the other day saying that the ‘Red book’ he had carried with him during the election campaign, contained names of anyone who broke the law. Now it is time to deliver justice to such folks. For Lokesh, the red-coloured notebook on which was pasted the notice of its contents – the book that will hold to account those who filed false cases against (TD) workers – is believed to have helped in sending a clear message to the party cadres that the leadership will get them justice and ensured increased support in the elections. Lokesh himself attributed credit to the ‘Red Book’ by saying that as the people trusted his words that he would punish the guilty, they had given a landslide victory to the TD-JS-BJP combo in the elections as they wanted good governance to be delivered.
POLITICOS FIGHT IT OUT ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
Independence Day celebrations turned into a political showmanship in Adoni, Kurnool, resulting in a lively exchange between legislator Dr P. V. Partha Sarathi and former MLA K. Meenakshi Naidu, highlighting a lack of coordination among the ruling alliance leaders in Andhra Pradesh. During the festivities, the TD’s Meenakshi Naidu took the opportunity to make pointed remarks about Partha Sarathi, criticising him for allegedly overlooking the contributions of veteran political figures while favoring newer allies. In response, the BJP leader and legislator explained that his victory was the result of efforts from five different TD factions and that he was simply trying to balance the needs of all parties involved. Meenakshi Naidu's reaction was a mix of frustration and bemusement, noting that the lack of unity among the coalition's leaders was almost apparent. The verbal exchange underscored the political disagreements and coordination challenges within the alliance.
CHIEF WARDEN HARINATH IMPRESSES ALL
A special menu was prepared and served to students at the Arts College of Andhra University to celebrate the 78th Independence Day. Chief Warden Acharya S. Harinath personally supervised the mid-day meal service. He also took the initiative to ensure the quality of the afternoon meal by visiting the mess and tasting the food. Additionally, Harinath engaged with the students to gather their feedback and suggestions. He emphasised the importance of maintaining high standards and suggested forming special committees comprising students. The programme aimed to delight the students with a special menu for the day, and ensure continuous excellence in regular meals. The students expressed their happiness over these special arrangements and requested Harinath to provide such quality food beyond the Independence Day celebrations.
PAWAN KALYAN’S FOES FLOUNDER
On the eve of the elections, YSRC leader and MLC from Tekkali Duvvada Srinivas had made pointed references to Pawan Kalyan’s three marriages, calling him ‘neech aadmi’. Sporting a long tilak on his forehead, he spoke on Hindu dharma and the importance of ‘eka patni’. Now that Duvvada is caught up in a drama in his own household with domestic disputes with his spouse making headlines, his plight is being watched with some undisguised glee by Jana Sena supporters, what with police cases from either side in his family, and associated churning of emotions within the family that became public.
