Chiru vows to continue agitation for Polavaram

The Praja Rajyam chief, Mr K. Chiranjeevi, vowed to continue efforts to mount pressure upon both the Centre and state governments to expedite the construction of the multi-purpose Indira Sagar (Pola-varam) project and also to get national project status for it by taking up a padayatra and hunger strike.
The Praja Rajyam’s political affairs committee (PAC) meet was held here on Thursday and it came up with several resolutions including an all party delegation to New Delhi to submit a representation to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and the UPA chairperson, Mr Sonia Gandhi, and working out a strategy to fight for the execution of the Pranahitha-Chevella project and also get national project status for it.
The PAC also proposed to strengthen party cadre and conduct a party plenary towards the end of August.
Later, addressing party cadre, Mr Chiranjeevi felt the need to tap energy of youth in the party and also called for synchronisation of energy of both party cadre and his supporters to strengthen the party.
Taking part in a separate programme for interaction with his supporters and fans, Mr Chiranjeevi said that he had plunged into politics to serve people and not to grab power. He admitted lapses in failing to work out an understanding between party cadre and his fans during the last elections, resulting in his political debacle, and called upon his fans to support to him in his efforts to bring about a social change in the state.
He also cautioned that if the Polavaram project was not completed, it could jeopardise food security in the state.
Meanwhile, the PR chief drew flak from the general public for failing to stick to schedule during his bus yatra with people waiting for him for several hours in the hot sun. Journalists protested when Mr Chiranjeevi failed to turn up for a press conference scheduled for 3.00 pm after making them wait for more than an hour.

MLA escapes getting burnt at Praja Patham

The Warangal East MLA, Mr Baswaraju Saraiah, narrowly escaped getting burnt when a youth standing near him tried to immolate himself.
The incident occurred during a protest at Kottawada area in the 52nd municipal division here on Thursday while the MLA was on the last leg of Praja Patham tour.
The youth, Ranjeet, 19, in an attempt to douse himself with kerosene in the presence of the MLA, accidentally spilled some of the inflammable liquid on the MLA’s head and face. The Matwada police reacted quickly and prevented the youth from lighting the match stick.
Police also arrested 14 Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) activists, including local the leader, Mr A. Vidyasagar.
Just before Kottawada incident, Mr Saraiah had to face the ire of CPI activists, who greeted the MLA with empty pots.
It was soon followed by a protest by more than 300 TRS activists, who had a heated argument with Mr Saraiah on the issue of tendering resignation for the separate state of Telangana.
Meanwhile, Mr Vidyasagar said the immolation bid was undertaken by a Telangana supporter and no TRS activist was involved in the attempt.
Elsewhere, the Mahbubabad Congress MLA, Ms M. Kavitha, and the TD MLA from Dornakal, Ms Satyavati Rathod, also faced protests by TRS activists.

Theatres dither on SRK film

The Maharashtra government suffered a jolt when the association of cinema hall owners announced that they would not be screening My Name is Khan on Friday — its intended date of release — due to the stringent Shiv Sena agitation against it. Throughout Thursday, the state egged them to reverse their decision.

“They should stand by what they want to do. They should release the film,” said the Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Chavan. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan who is currently in Berlin for the premiere of his film, tweeted. “My stardom is transient. My integrity in non-negotiable ...My being Indian unquestionable... Hope peace prevails.”

In an unexpected turn, the MNS chief, Mr Raj Thackeray, targeted his uncle’s party for its “double standards” in not attacking Amitabh Bachchan despite sharing a dais with a Pakistani artiste while pouring vitriol on Shah Rukh.

Telangana JAC to go ahead with protests till February 7

Notwithstanding its decision to wait until February 7 to press for the resignation by MLAs from the Telangana region, the all-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Friday finalised an agitational programme up to that date.The working and steering committees of JAC which met here decided to go ahead with the agitation demanding that the Centre announce formation of Telangana State within a time frame.

The agitation will culminate with the ‘Chalo Kakatiya University’ programme at Warangal where a major meeting of students is scheduled on February 7.

BJP to launch nation-wide agitation against price rise: Sushma

BJP would launch a nation-wide agitation from February 1 to protest against rise in prices of essential commodities, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said here on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference here, she attributed “wrong” policies of the UPA government as reason for the sky-rocketing prices of essential items.

Terming the recent comment of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that he cannot predict when the prices of sugar would come down as “irresponsible”, the senior BJP leader alleged that it was only due to the wrong policies of the UPA government that has now resulted in spiralling prices of food items.

She wanted to know what measures Union Government had taken to check the price rise.

Even pulses and sugar which are mostly used by common people have become dearer and the Centre has totally “failed” to control the price rise, the former Union minister said.

Stating that the party would raise the issue in the Parliament, she said “the party would play its role effectively as the people have given us responsibility to keep a watch on the actions of the government... where as the UPA got the mandate to rule the nation.”

The party would definitely raise the price rise issue inside and outside the Parliament, she said adding “We would hold nation-wide agitations for a fortnight from February 1, to protest the Centre’s failure to check price rise”.