Purandareswari: ‘YSR, not Naidu, is NTR successor’

Guntur: Upping the ante, Union minister of state for human resource development Daggubati Purandareswari has questioned the authority of N Chandrababu Naidu in claiming successorship of TDP founder-president N T Rama Rao.

Sticking to her theory that “Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is the true successor of NTR,” she said the chief minister’s propoor policies like the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme, free power for ryots, etc, are very much in tune with NTR’s welfare vision.

“The chief minister is implementing the programmes to help the poor just like my father has envisioned,” she said while talking to reporters here on Monday. Training her guns on the TDP president, she said Naidu has not only usurped power from NTR but has also dumped the policies of NTR. Purandareswari said the TDP leaders should conduct an introspection before reacting to her statements.

On former minister Kodela Sivaprasada Rao’s charge that she is praising the CM to safeguard her position in the Congress, Pur a n - dareswari said she is not running after power or posts like TDP leaders do. “I really do not understand as to why the TDP leaders are worrying so much on the successorship of NTR. They should first introspect as to where and why they have failed to continue the policies of NTR,” she said.

Saying that the TDP owes an apology to the public for discontinuing the policies of NTR, she said Naidu never thought of the poor and distressed people when he was in power for nine years.

“It is no wonder Naidu is chanting pro-farmer policies as it is his biggest skill to change colours to suit the situation. He will do anything to reclaim power. But people are no fools to believe him,” Purandareswari lashed out.

In Vijayawada, Congress legislator Devineni Nehru defended Purandareswari saying that YSR is the real successor to NTR.

Buzz: Is CBN Telling Morals But Not Following?

Former chief minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu has now gone ahead with accusation that Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy had been encouraging people of a particular community. He did not name the caste but dropped enough indications that Rajasekhar Reddy was clearly favoring leaders hailing from the Reddy community. The same Chandrababu Naidu pulled up senior TD leaders when they alleged that Reddys were dominating the Congress government and cornering plum posts. Now he has come out with the same allegation.

But what Chandrababu Naidu has failed to realize is that in his own Telugu Desam Party, Kammas and other upper castes are dominating the show and backward classes and weaker sections are a neglected lot in the TDP. All the plum posts are held by Kammas or upper castes including Reddys. Backward classes are not given their due share despite Chandrababu Naidu shouting from the house top that BCs were being given a raw deal by the Congress. Ok for argument sake let's agree that the Congress has neglected the BC welfare. But what about the Telugu Desam?

"Is Chandrababu telling morals but not follwing"? a Congress leader.

The Telugu Desam too had neglected the BCs when it comes to allocation of important party positions. If it is Reddy Raj in the Congress, it is Kamma Raj in the Telugu Desam.

Spotlight: Famous Cine Wonder Of 2007

The film 'Sivaji' unleashed a famous wonder this year. Rajni Kanth, the dark looking south Indian star was shown bright like a European in that film. There were several gossips on that aspect. Some said Rajni had undergone chemical peeling treatment to look fairer for that song. Some others said that was the magic of make up artistes. But the fact is that it was only a graphics job done in Chennai. The details are not furnished by many. Here is the complete information.

If you have watched Sivaji, you would have observed the fair complexion of Rajinikanth in the song 'Ok Bandi Sunlight'.

For the first time grafting technology has been used for an Indian film which was made possible by a Chennai based company Indian Arts who had worked in Shankar's earlier films. One of the dancers, Jacky, was chosen by Shankar and Rajini's skin tone was matched with hers. The six and a half minute song was shot in Spain.

Each shot of Rajni's in the song was once again shot with Jacky and was sent to Indian Arts. Since the lighting varies in indoor and outdoor, to match the skin tone, expressions, and lip and body movements of the two was a challenging task. A total of 6700 frames were been for post production. Rajinikanth himself was amazed after watching the song.

Is that not a wonder on Indian screen that was done for the first time?

Click here to watch the gallery of the pictures of Rajni and Jacky

Popular Politician of the Year-2007

He has been a notable personality in Rajahmundry from the past 30 years but not known for the rest of the state. He was in Congress and has been known as an interpreter and translator for Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi when they used to come to Rajahmundry. He never earned big and never made any sort of news in the past 30 years. But he turned a news maker all of a sudden this year by attacking Ramoji Rao's Margadarsi. His name goes along with that firm now. He is Undavalli Arun Kumar, the MP of Rajahmundry who turned popular this year. He exposed his invincible arguing capabilities, timely response for tricky questions and boldness in putting strife with media baron Ramoji Rao.

He turned a newsmaker this year and attracted each and every media channel, tabloids, news papers and websites. There were many magazines those were sold out in market in big way with his photograph on cover page. He also started a magazine by himself this year called 'Ee Vaaram'. He is now an MP and Editor of 'Ee Vaaram' too.

Every politician will be a news maker somehow or other. But breaking the silence and attracting the media and public all of a sudden is something to be underlined- and that too for quite a long time. So, Undavalli Arun Kumar can be called the popular politician of the year 2007.

'Modi is Dhoni of Team BJP'

NEW DELHI(PTI): The 'Dhoni' of Congress Rahul Gandhi may not have been able to make the party victorious in Gujarat but that does not stop BJP to equate its mascot Narendra Modi to the youthful captain of the Indian cricket team.

As soon as Gujarat Assembly polls threw up a remarkable victory for the party, BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said it was a win of the 'Team BJP' led by Modi.

"Team BJP fought the elections with vigour and Modi has emerged as the Man of the Match. He has become the Dhoni of the party," Prasad told reporters here, apparently likening the BJP's victory to the spectacular win in the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup three months back.

Rahul was described by the Congress as their 'Dhoni' when he was appointed AICC General Secretary in September. His appointment coincided with the World Cup victory and Congress lost no time in seeking to cash in on it.

The 37-year-old Congress heir apparent was subsequently fielded by the party in Gujarat with the hope that he would manage them wrest power in the state from Modi-led BJP.

The charisma of 57-year-old former RSS pracharak , however, proved too much for the 'Dhoni' of Congress.

Narendra Modi win: Champagne flows in US

Seldom has a state assembly election in India generated as much interest among the Indian Americans as the Gujarat polls have this time.

As results started pouring in, Indian Americans across the country remained glued to television sets and computers for live election results from Gujarat.

And as the verdict became clear, BJP supporters were seen opening champagne bottles to celebrate yet another victory for Narendra Modi.

''This will set the trend for national politics. Our next goal is Delhi,'' said Chandra Kant Patel, a former president of the Overseas Friends of the BJP.

A large number of community members had gathered at the Tampa residence of Dinesh Gandhi, president of the Tampa Bay Gujarat Samaj.

And no sooner had the BJP taken a substantial lead over the Congress, that champagne flowed. ''This is our way of celebrating. I am sure Modi will take Gujarat to a new level of development,'' Gandhi said.

In the Indian-American-dominated neighborhoods of Jersey City and Oak Tree Road in New Jersey and Jackson Height in New York, a number of restaurants remained opened till beyond midnight allowing patrons to watch live election results on television screens, a service usually brought on only for cricket matches.

''There was a lot of excitement among the people. So we decided to keep the restaurant open so that people can watch the election results live. It is all business for us,'' said the manager of the Dosa Hut in Jersey City.

Dr Rajesh Dave, who comes from Maninagar in Ahmadabad, the constituency of Narendra Modi, too celebrated the victory with champagne. ''We have to, this is a victory for the development of Gujarat,'' he said.

Jyoti Ben, who runs a convenience store and a motel, said: ''After so many decades, it is Modi who brought Gujarat to the limelight. It is the victory of nationalism and development clubbed together.''

A strong Modi-supporter Harish Arora, who comes from the Tarapur village near Anand and has been staying in the US for the past 18 years said Modi had touched the lives of the people of the state. ''He is very popular among the NRIs,'' he said.

Many of the Modi-supporters and members of pro-Hindutva groups in the US had gone to Gujarat to campaign for the BJP this time, while a group of NRIs had launched a pro-Modi campaign from the US by sending mass emails, booking full-page advertisements in newspapers and making mass telephone calls to their friends and relatives in Gujarat.

''Now it is time for victory celebrations. These will be held all over the country. We will announce the details soon,'' Chandrakant Patel said as he sat with a group of friends late Saturday night local time discussing the BJP victory in Gujarat.

Chandrababu Pulling Lokesh Into TDP

Former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu is silently preparing his only son N Lokesh for "arangetram" in politics. All this has been going on behind the four walls of Chandrababu Naidu's residence. Lokesh has also been visiting NTR Bhavan but secretly.

When Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy is grooming his son YS Jaganmohan Reddy, will his bete noire Chandrababu Naidu lag behind in selecting his political heir in Andhra Pradesh? The race has begun. Rajasekhar Reddy is doing it openly, because Jaganmohan Reddy has already settled in life and is planning to launch his own newspaper. But this is not the case with Lokesh. He is yet to "complete" his studies. Though he is the rich son of a rich father, Lokesh has not made a mark in life, except marrying the daughter of his uncle, film actor N Balakrishna.

Jaganmohan Reddy definitely has the edge over Lokesh. And this is the reason why Chandrababu Naidu does not want to announce in the open that Lokesh will join politics. Nevertheless, Lokesh is being trained by Chandrababu Naidu on how to take over the reins of the Telugu Desam and rule over the State.

Moreover, Jagan is more mature than Lokesh. Though Lokesh wants to be independent, Chandrababu Naidu still considers him as a "child" who needs parental support to come up in life.

This is the tale of two fathers and two sons, who want to make it big in the political horizon of the State.

'Surya' On 'Kamma-Reddy' Flavor in Communism

Perhaps never in the past did the Communists in the State face so much disgrace as they got now. Hitherto, they only know how to attack the people in power and project themselves as paragons of virtues.

The report that appeared in "Surya" daily has come in as a rude blow to their bloated ego. The report pointed out how both the Communist parties – CPI and CPI-M – have been hitherto headed only by Kamma leaders and occassionally by Reddys; and that no leader from Backward Classes was given any prominent posts in these parties. It also went on exposing how these Kamma leaders got benefitted from the government personally and compromised on the principles on which the parties are supposed to function.

The reaction of B V Raghavulu and K Narayana reminded one of a Telugu adage: "Gummadi Kaayala Donga Ante Bhujaalu Tadumukunnatlu." They tried to play down the report as fictitious and a counter-attack by the ruling party, but ignore the fundamental question, as to whether the report was factual or not. However, it triggered a lot of debate within these two parties – the BC leaders were happy that at least one newspaper could bring out the real facts, which nobody could dare to speak out all these days.

Inquiries revealed that the report got planted by none other than Chief Minsiter Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and his advisor K V P Ramachandra Rao. While they were discussing during a lunch meeting about the attempts of BC groups to form a third front and the Communist parties' plan to support them, it struck to the Chief Minister that the CPI and CPI-M had no BC leaders so far. Then, they wanted this idea to be explored further and plant it in a newspaper. Since KVP is the man behind Surya, he took up the task and saw to it that the report was published in detail. That's the story behind the story!!

When Uma sought the support of YSR

Former minister and Telugu Desam legislator A Uma Madhava Reddy had been in a major problem for quite long time. But she chose to approach Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy for help and not her own political boss and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

According to inside sources, Uma had some financial problem with an influential person. She made several efforts to get back the money and settle the issue. After all the efforts failed to deliver the goods, she had a brain wave; to approach Rajasekhar Reddy for help.

In just two days Rajasekhar Reddy is said to have settled Uma's problem. And pray tell why did she approach the chief minister and not the Telugu Desam supremo. The answer is quite obvious. Chandrababu Naidu is an elusive politician who does not extend a helping hand quite often. So she thought it would be an exercise in futility to seek the help of Chandrababu Naidu. Rajasekhar Reddy, on the other hand, is known for his helping nature. And he thoughtful action paid off.

Dasari buys channel rights from Balaiah!

After being in that Coal portfolio for the last three years, Union Minister Dasari Narayana Rao appears to have learnt the dirty tricks of changing colours. Till the other day, he was running after Megastar Chiranjeevi, hoping to cash in on the Kapu factor. He challenged before Madam Sonia Gandhi that he would rope Chiranjeevi into the Congress party. Now that Chiranjeevi ignored him completely and is making plans to launch his own party, Dasari has lost his face in the Congress. That is the reason why, he is now playing these dirty tricks with Balakrishna. For which, he is provoking his "chelaas" Mohan Babu (an arch rival of Chiranjeevi brothers) and Narayanamurthy, a fake revolutionary actor.

There is yet another twist to Dasari's sudden shifting of loyalties. It is learnt Balakrishna is helping Dasari in reviving his Telugu daily "Udayam" and establishing yet another entertainment channel "D-TV" (Read Dasari TV). So far, Dasari has bought television rights for all Balaiah's films and the latest one being "Okka Magadu." Perhaps, Balaiah also has a stake in this channel. No wonder, in the coming years, D-channel telecasts Balaiah's films on a daily basis, just as Maa TV is doing with Akkineni Nagarjuna films!!