NETA NATTER | DANAM WAGES WAR WITH KANGANA
It’s hard to keep Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagendar out of the news these days. First, there was the issue of his crossover to the Congress from the BRS and contesting the LS polls on a Congress ticket while holding on to the MLA seat he won on a BRS ticket. While this issue is still on the boil, Nagender yet again was back in the news, this time for his comments on the actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, using derogatory language at her and film artistes at a Congress programme called to protest against the BJP targeting Rahul Gandhi. The BRS/Congress MLA got it back fairly quickly with BJP Mahila Morcha leaders protesting and burning his effigy but that was not the interesting part. The protesters just limited themselves to naming him and called for action against him, and refrained from associating him with either the BRS or the Congress, leaving no one in doubt just where the Khairtabad MLA today stands, in a sea of political confusion.
IAS BABU OFFERS ‘VEILED’ MOSQUITO-MENACE SOLUTION
Smita Sabharwal, once known for being the first and longest-serving woman IAS officer in Telangana CM’s office during K. Chandrashekar Rao’s tenure, is once again in the limelight – but for rather unexpected reasons. After being moved to a less prominent role as member secretary in the Telangana State Finance Commission following the Congress' 2023 win, Sabharwal has taken to X to make waves, this time with a seemingly harmless post... about mosquito nets. Sabharwal’s recent post advising citizens to use mosquito nets or ‘machardani’ to fend off mosquitoes has sparked a political flutter. Her post recalled her younger days as a ‘fauji kid’ and expressed a newfound appreciation for mosquito nets after previously loathing them. “Going back to using Machardani/ Mosquito nets at night! Would hate it as a fauji kid... now see the wisdom. Stay safe, everyone,” she wrote. While the post may seem innocuous, political and bureaucratic circles have found layers of intrigue within it. Some suggest Sabharwal’s remarks were a veiled critique of the new Congress government, implying that the city's mosquito menace had worsened since the change of power, contrasting it to what she apparently saw as a more ‘mosquito-controlled’ era under the BRS government. Her critics quickly pounced on this, pointing to the absence of such outcry during the BRS regime and how Sabharwal’s outspokenness only emerged after the power shift. Others argued that Sabharwal's newfound openness could actually be evidence that the Congress’ promise of ‘Praja Palana’ was working. Incidentally, her mosquito-net post appeared on September 17, the same day the Congress government observed ‘Praja Palana Dinotsavam,’ a day celebrating freedom of expression and governance transparency.
A SHELTER FROM HYDRAA ACTION?
The HYDRAA set up by the Telangana government may not be many-headed, but its actions have set off tremors across the state with some BRS leaders in Nirmal district holding their heads wondering if their having switched to the Congress before the last elections would save their properties. With BJP leaders repeatedly pointing out how these BRS leaders have indulged in illegal construction on tank and lake beds in their respective Assembly constituencies, there is now uncertainty if the ruling party will actually help in protecting their properties.
MLAs FIND THEMSELVES LOSING AT MUSICAL CHAIRS
With the Damocles sword of disqualification hanging over their head, life has not been easy for BRS MLAs who joined the Congress. While they are taking great pains to appear as if they have distanced themselves from the Congress, their situation is not being helped with some ministers making it clear that these MLAs, at least a few of them, are very much in the BRS. Ministers like D. Sridhar Babu called the tussle between MLAs Padi Koushik Reddy and Anekapudi Gandhi as internal bickering between BRS leaders. But confusion continues as the BRS says the turncoats are with the Congress and the Congress is more or less disowning them.
BANKS TOLD TO LOOSEN PURSE STRINGS
When the poor need to bank on banks as they seek to improve their lives, and when banks are reluctant to keep their word, a bit of bureaucratic prodding might just do the trick. This was the case in East Godavari with the branch of a nationalised bank being pulled up for negligence and not keeping its word on loans to women’s self-help groups that it would release `67 lakh that was misappropriated in the bank by one of its employees. Despite the promise, there was no action after 45 days and the collector then cracked the whip forcing the bank to get its act together, loosen its purse strings and begin payments to the SHGs within 24 hours. But this has also set off more demands elsewhere that the government step in and help beneficiaries of government schemes get the funds they are due.
TIPPLERS HAPPY WITH NEW PRICE DROP IN AP
Talk about things coming together! The announcement of reduced liquor prices in AP, and an unrelated opening of an Anna Canteen in Peda Waltair of Visakhapatnam, are being welcomed with wide grins among tipplers. The opening of the canteen by local MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna to serve attendants and patients coming to three major government hospitals – Chest Hospital, ENT Hospital and Mental Hospital. But then, not many realised that the canteen is also pretty close to two popular bars and two retail liquor shops. A sanitation worker, expressing his happiness, said earlier he was spending Rs 120 for liquor and Rs 20 for breakfast normally but from now on all he needs to get his morning fix is Rs 99 for the booze and just Rs 5 for food at the Anna Canteen. Benefits are apparently what one makes of them.
Contributions from K.M.P. Patnaik, Neeraj Kumar Saibewar, Prasad V.S., L. Venkat Ram Reddy, G. Ram Mohan and Pillalamarri Srinivas.