Neta Natter | A send-off to remember, Revanth style

Neta Natter | A minister before becoming one

Rumour has it... Or does it? A slip of the tongue in the Assembly by minister Ponnam Prabhakar referring to Congress MLA P. Sudarshan Reddy as a "minister", and not correcting it, appeared to make it certain that the senior Congressman from Bodhan may indeed find a place in the Cabinet expansion being planned by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Or maybe Ponnam's slip of the tongue had something to do with the power of suggestion as BRS MLA K.T. Rama Rao just moments before had said that Sudarshan may not have any reason to raise issues during the Zero Hour as he is going to be a minister soon.

A send-off to remember, Revanth style

In an unexpected twist to the usual political proceedings, Telangana's Legislative Council turned into an emotional reunion zone on March 27. The reason? A rare, heartfelt farewell for nine retiring MLCs that felt more like a warm college send-off than a formal political ritual. What made it truly offbeat was the host — none other than Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy — who set politics aside and sentiments in motion. Despite most retirees being from the BRS, the Chief Minister paused the Budget Session chaos to honour their six-year innings with applause, group photos, and, yes, dinner. This was no typical handshake affair. There were moist eyes, genuine smiles, and even some philosophical reminiscing. Retiring MLCs, visibly touched, hailed the moment as a political "first" in Telangana — something unheard of in the previous decade under the BRS regime. With biryani on the table and rivalry off it, Revanth might just have sparked a new tradition: Politics with a heart. Who knew farewells could feel this... human?

The unshakeable budget man

In a rare role reversal that could make even political satirists blink twice, the Telangana Assembly turned into an unexpected theatre of irony during the Budget Session. While Budget debates are usually fiery face-offs between the ruling and opposition benches, this time the Congress and the BRS found themselves in an awkwardly tangled narrative. The Congress, in its usual punchy style, slammed the previous BRS regime for presenting "fraudulent Budgets" over the last decade. But here's the twist — the BRS, instead of defending themselves, chose to defend a bureaucrat. Yes, officials usually escape political crossfire, but special chief secretary (finance) K. Ramakrishna Rao was suddenly at the centre of it all. Sitting quietly in the officials' box in the House, Ramakrishna Rao became the unlikely hero for BRS members, who pointed out that he was the common thread behind both BRS government Budgets and the Congress government's new "realistic Budget". "If our Budgets were fake, why is he still your man," BRS MLAs quipped. The Assembly echoed with laughter and head-scratching logic.

What was Malla Reddy's idea?

The irrepressible BRS MLA Ch. Malla Reddy was at it again but, to his chagrin, found himself silenced in the Assembly despite what he claimed he was about to reveal, an idea that could net a whopping `1,100 crore revenue for the government. Malla Reddy said he had two things to say and one was this idea, and the other was about his constituency. Immediately, some ministers and Congress members were heard calling on Malla Reddy to first talk about the revenue generating idea, leading to much mirth in the House. But Malla Reddy being Malla Reddy chose to go with his constituency problems first. As soon as he started on his idea, he found his microphone cut off by the Speaker who said each member will be allowed to raise only one issue during Zero Hour. Whatever Malla Reddy's idea was, the House never heard it.

Araku Coffee that refreshed memories

It's not an easy task to forget an aroma, especially when it comes from a good cup of coffee. Such was the case with the MP from Adilabad, Godam Nagesh, who was offered a refreshing cup of 'Araku Coffee' the other day in the Parliament canteen by AP's tribal welfare minister Sandhya Rani. Recalling his ties with Araku Coffee, Nagesh went down the memory lane and spoke of his role in helping local Adivasis in raising coffee plantations in Araku way back in 1998. Nagesh appreciated the efforts of the Girijan Cooperative Corporation in making Araku Coffee not just an international brand and empowering the Adivasis raising the plantations, but also making the coffee's presence felt in Parliament.

A photograph is worth Rs 500

Garbage is no longer what it used to be. Recycling has resulted in several successful businesses, but for those who may not really be up to such a task there may be an easier way out if AP's Deputy Speaker Kanumuri Raghu Rama Krishna Raju's idea is anything to go by. Apparently fed up with people chucking waste into canals and drains, Raju announced that anyone who can take a picture with his or her mobile and catch the garbage culprits in action in his Undi constituency, and send him a picture, will get a Rs 500 reward. The offer opens on Ugadi and the plan is such pictures will be forwarded to the local officials for action and imposing penalties of Rs 1,000 for each violation. Half of this money will go to the constituency development fund to keep Undi clean, while the other half, Rs 500 will go to the whistleblower.

Booze shacks on the beach

Booze on the beach? The why not approach of AP's tourism minister Kandula Durgesh who the other day, after unfurling the Rushikonda Blue Flag beach status, said he had a word with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu about introducing shacks on the sandy stretch that will be permitted to sell alcohol, apparently to attract international tourists. Rushikonda may have earned back its Blue Flag status but Durgesh's proposal raised several red flags with critics slamming him on planned alcohol sales on the beach when even basic facilities were absent. And among the questions doing the rounds is if international tourists flock to beaches just to get drunk.

Botsa outs 'in'sider story

When is a coterie a coterie? When someone is no longer a part of it, is YSRC leader Botsa Satyanarayana's take on the matter. Following the claims of Vijaysai Reddy, former YSRC leader and a one-time confidant of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, about a coterie within the YSRC, Botsa wondered out aloud the other day if Vijaysai had suddenly realised of the existence of such a group within the party now that he left it. Maybe it would have been more appropriate for Vijaysai to raise such concerns while he was still in the YSRC, particularly when the former party leader was pretty much known as the 'first in the coterie'. This is nothing more than a case of sour grapes, was Botsa's take.

Contributions from Laxmi Pranathi, Aruna, Sampat G. Samritan, L. Venkat Ram Reddy, Balu Pulipaka, Pillalamarri Srinivas