With Telangana accounting for 70% of its market share, UB couldn’t risk losing this lucrative beer hub. Excise commissioner Ch Hari Kiran remained tightlipped, adding to the buzz
The face-off between Telangana and United Breweries fizzled like flat beer in just two weeks. UB reversed its decision to halt Kingfisher and Heineken supplies, citing “assurances” from the state government on price hikes and clearance of dues. Strangely, the Telangana government stayed silent. Speculation brewed that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s Singapore trip aimed to replace Kingfisher with a rival brand, forcing UB to reconsider. With Telangana accounting for 70% of its market share, UB couldn’t risk losing this lucrative beer hub. Excise commissioner Ch Hari Kiran remained tightlipped, adding to the buzz.
REVANTH SHINES AT DAVOS
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy proved he can balance politics and governance with finesse at the WEF summit in Davos. Sharing the stage with Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Revanth Reddy struck a chord despite their political differences. Stressing the need for cordial relations with neighbouring states, he pledged healthy competition in development. His remarks won applause, showcasing a federal spirit that transcended party lines. Political observers praised Revanth Reddy’s diplomatic approach, calling it a masterstroke in fostering regional collaboration while keeping Telangana’s development in sharp focus.
MINISTERS STEER CLEAR OF GANDHI BHAVAN
The Congress’ much-hyped ‘Face to Face with ministers’ programme at Gandhi Bhavan has lost its sheen in just two months. Initially a hit, with hundreds flocking to voice grievances, enthusiasm dwindled as ministers’ attendance faltered. Scheduled twice weekly, it slid to once a week, then once in 15 days. Now, no minister has shown up since December 5. Insiders claim ministers are avoiding the event as Gandhi Bhavan increasingly turns into a battleground for internal party squabbles, leaving the programme a shadow of its ambitious launch.
INFRA GIANT EXAGGERATES CLAIMS
Governments often trumpet MoUs as catalysts for massive investments and job creation, typically in the organised sector. However, an infrastructure giant that inked an MoU with the Telangana government at the WEF Summit in Davos sparked curiosity with its claims. It cited 1,000 jobs for construction workers during the building phase of its pumped storage project as “job creation.” This left many wondering when temporary, unorganised-sector roles began qualifying as noteworthy job-generation milestones. The move has drawn skepticism, with critics questioning the validity of such claims in measuring true economic progress.
MUSI WORK MEETS BUREAUCRATIC BLOCK
In a twist of irony befitting a Shakespearean comedy, the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL) seems to have channelled its own namesake: stagnant and murky, with little hope of a clear flow. All one has to do to understand what is happening at MRDCL is to visit its headquarters, where relay races appear to be the order of the day. Anyone asking any question gets the run around, getting bounced from one person to another, despite the current focus on Musi rejuvenation, leaving some wondering if the message has percolated down to the MRDCL. Clarity, it appears, is hard to find here just as it in Musi, at least for now.
ETALA SHIFTS INTO TOP GEAR AT BJP
A tough guy image can be an asset in politics. After all, folks look up to that quality in a leader, or so Etala Rajendar, the BJP leader, who according to some in his party, could be the next Telangana BJP chief apparently believes. The party in the state which saw a revival of sorts under the no-holds-barred leadership of Bandi Sanjay Kumar, hit headlines again, but this time after Etala slapping a man went viral, leaving many in his party wondering if Etala has decided to shed his otherwise quiet image to a more “active” one, especially with the possibility of the big post in the not too distant future.
BRS MLA VOWS TO BE MORE IN CONSTITUENCY
BRS MLA from Jangaon Palla Rajeshwar Reddy has never been one to shy away from controversy but recent rumors in the party that he is set to leave it appeared to have put him on the defensive. A visibly perturbed Palla, but true to his nature never short of words, took pains to clarify that any chatter about him leaving the BRS was completely false and as misguided as someone trying to fit into a pair of jeans two sizes too small. All that talk doing the rounds that he was never available in his constituency are not true, he said, not letting go of the chance to take a poke at his rival who left the BRS to join the Congress, saying he was not Kadiam Srihari. The fallout — Palla is likely to spend more time in Jangaon from now on instead of in Hyderabad.
POLITICOS MISSING AFTER TEMPLE PROMISES
Remember those promises made by all and sundry about donating gold to the Yadagirigutta Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam for gold coating the Vimanagopuram to the temple? Apparently, many, including several small and big politicos who vowed to contribute gold for the purpose, have fallen short of their promises. Former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had done his bit after launching the drive donating one kg and 16 tolas of gold to the temple in 2022. The Devasthanam folks say what was received so far was just 12 kg of the precious metal of the promised 22 kg of gold by leaders of various hues. The common folk who throng the temple appeared to have done better than their leaders if the 115 kg of gold offered through hundi collections is anything to go by ensuring the required 127 kg gold mark was reached.
COPS SHUFFLED IN AP
There are cops, and then there are others. Cops are indispensable for any administration and this has come to the fore in Andhra Pradesh after the recent Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam stampede in Tirumala. The axe fell soon after on officials with Tirupati superintendent of police L. Subba Rayudu getting transferred as did TTD joint executive officer M. Gowthami. But Rayudu is apparently a man for all seasons, and possibly reasons, and has been reassigned as the SP for the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force. On the other hand, Gowthami, who too faced scrutiny after the incident, for now at least, remained sidelined, with no new role for her on the horizon.
NAIDU PLEASES ALL COMMUNITIES
You can please some but not all. The N. Chandrababu Naidu administration is finding this out, not that it needs to learn this, by taking remedial measures. Once the election dust settled, it emerged that a section of society that played a crucial role in TD’s win in the elections, is unhappy over what it says is ignoring officials related to their community in Naidu’s administration in giving plum positions. Naidu, however, in the recent IAS transfers took measures to address this gap. G. Sai Prasad, special chief secretary (water resources) belonging to that group has been re-designated as special CS (water resources) and ex-officio special CS to the Chief Minister directly reporting to Naidu. The folks who felt slighted are now happy, and are hoping that Prasad might even end up becoming the Chief Secretary in the days to come.
SANDHYA RANI FORGETS HER OWN AGENDA
Promises have a way of falling by the wayside in politics. Take the case of AP’s tribal and women and child development minister Sandhya Rani who had a 226-foot-tall flexi celebrating the CM’s son and minister Nara Lokesh’s birthday. Each foot of the flexi installed in Salur was to represent one day of Lokesh’s 226-day Yuvagalam Padayatra. While all this was fine, the question that began popping up was why Rani, who promised to establish a plastic-free environment in Manyam, took the decision to go all plastic for the flexi.
COP FINDS HERSELF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LAW
Something stolen? A thief at work? Call the cops. But then cops themselves can be victims of such actions as a female police officer at the Duvvada police station in AP found out. During Sankranti festivities at the police station, the officer, focused on crafting rangoli in front of the station, left her mobile phone on a table. When she returned, the phone was no longer there. A quick and hectic check on the CCTV footage showed a man who went to the station to file a complaint, seized the opportunity to pocket the unattended phone. But since the cops got his number, so to speak, from the CCTV footage, it was not long before he was traced, caught, and the phone restored to the official.
Contributions from Laxmi Pranathi, P. Srinivas, Md Ilyas, Aruna, Shrimansi Kaushik, Neeraj Kumar, Puli Sharath Kumar, L. Venkat Ram Reddy, Avinash P. Subramanyam
