There is a severe criticism on Janasena Party from sometime that there are no leaders in this party led by Pawan Kalyan, while Nadendla Manohar is the only addition. However, Powerstar has rewritten the whole thing as some educated elite joined the party big time.

From educationist Vishnu Raju to environmental activist Pulla Rao, great scientist Abdul Kalam’s scientific advisor Ponraj to professor Sudhakar Rao to retired DIG Ravi Kumar Murthy, an educated elite class has now joined Janasena party. And that looks pretty encouraging on social media and pictures, but the moot question is, will they bring new rise to the party?

Educated and professional people always failed to make a difference when they came up with political parties. From Loksatta JP to Aam Admi’s Arvind Kejriwal, there are these educated and well-behaved politicians who never do populist work like our regular MLAs and MPs. But still, their success rate is very low. So what will this cult add to Janasena became a crucial discussion now.

If we have to tell in cinema language, these educated lots are A-centre campaigners, but we need content for B & C centers. What say Janasainiks?

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Parliament address on Thursday as “appalling” and alleged that he was rubbing salt into the wounds of his state instead of doing justice to it by fulfilling his commitments.

Naidu said this in a teleconference with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders.

Naidu is the president of the TDP, which pulled out of the BJP-led NDA last year over the latter’s refusal to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister, who is trying to cobble together an anti-BJP front, took strong exception to Modi calling the opposition alliance ‘maha milavat’ (highly adulterated).

According to TDP sources, Naidu reiterated the Opposition charge that Modi has weakened the democratic institutions in the country and said that the Modi government had failed on all fronts.

The TDP chief plans a 12-hour sit-in in New Delhi on February 11 over the demand for special category status to Andhra Pradesh. He appealed to all to make his protest a success.

Claiming that leaders of many national parties would be joining him in protest, Naidu also invited the state opposition parties to participate in it. “It is for them to decide whether to stand with the people or continue playing politics,” he said.

Former minister and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Kaikaluru in Krishna district Kamineni Srinivas on Friday announced that he would not contest the ensuing assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to the media, Kamineni said he had no interest whatsoever to contest the assembly elections in 2014 elections also, but had to oblige the request of Vice President M Venkaiaha Naidu, who was then a key leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“Since the BJP had an alliance with the TDP, we had an obligation to contest the polls. Venkaiah Naidu told me that the BJP got the opportunity to contest in that election and I should make use of the opportunity. That was how I got the chance to become an MLA,” he said.

This time since there was no alliance between the TDP and the BJP, he had no obligation to contest. However, Kamineni said he would continue in the public sphere to serve the people.

There were reports that Kamineni would call it quits from the BJP and would join the TDP.

However, he has realised that there is too much competition for the Kaikaluluru seat and his last minute defection might not fetch him the TDP ticket. But it is unlikely that he would continue in the BJP.

Though there is no official confirmation from the Telangana government as such, there are enough indication that Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will expand his cabinet at last on February 10.

As reported in these columns a couple of weeks ago, KCR had been waiting for auspicious days or muhurtams and February 10 happens to be the most auspicious day: It is Sri Panchami, which is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati and any activity that is taken on that day will yield very good results. Hence, KCR has chosen the muhurtham.

There have been reports that it is not going to be a major expansion but KCR will induct only six to eight ministers in the first phase.

He will take up another round of cabinet expansion after the Lok Sabha elections to be held in April/May.

It is not exactly known who is there in the mind of KCR for being inducted into the cabinet.

According to reports, KCR might not induct his son K T Rama Rao and his nephew T Harish Rao into the cabinet, as KCR wants his son, who is now TRS working president, to take responsibility of steering the party in the Lok Sabha elections, while Harish to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

The fact that Harish has vacated his ministerial bungalow in the Minister’s Quarters in Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, itself indicated that he would not be inducted into the cabinet.

However, another former minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao, who lost the assembly elections from Palair in Khammam district, is still continuing in the same bungalow in the minister’s quarters.

Apparently, KCR has asked him not to vacate the bungalow till he takes up the cabinet expansion.

This led to the talk that Tummala might be included in the cabinet. Since the MLC elections are going to be held soon, KCR might nominate Tummala for the MLC post and make him a minister.

After all, Tummala’s presence in the cabinet is essential for KCR to win the Khammam parliamentary seat!

After mocking at ‘Special Status’ for Andhra Pradesh for five years, sailing with BJP for four years, TDP president and AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu has finally decided to hold a protest rally in New Delhi on February 11 demanding BJP-led NDA government to grant Special Status for Andhra Pradesh.

Looking at Naidu who slept for five years on special status issue and at one point argued against special status and even threatened to send those to jail who fight for special status, AP people are mocking and laughing at Naidu terming it as “Donga Deeksha” to garner national attention at the cost of public money.

Though no one has objection if Naidu spends his own money to achieve his ‘national political dreams’, what causes anger among AP people is that TDP government shamelessly releasing a GO (Government Order) on February 6 sanctioning Rs 1,12,16,465 to meet the expenditure of Naidu’s Deeksha.

The GO states, “Government of AP has decided to hire two special trains with 20 compartments each from South Central Railway, Secunderabad. The first train will be from Anantapur to Delhi and second train from Srikakulam to Delhi to transport interested political parties, organisations, NGOs Associations etc.”

None of the political parties or NGOs or any unions or organisations have come forward to take part in Naidu’s Donga Deeksha.

This would mean that this money is spent only to transport TDP leaders and activists.

Naidu, who is fast losing ground in AP to YSRCP before Assembly polls, is trying to divert people’s attention and also to garner national attention by staging fake dharnas in Delhi at the cost of public money.