According to sources Airline carriers like IndiGo and Jet Airways are planning to charge flyers who opt for the web check-in facility. Meanwhile it was reported that Indigo has decided to charge an amount, which may go up to Rs 800, for a seat booked through web-check in.

Furthermore after a user pointed out on Saturday that he was not able to check in without selecting a seat, all of which are against a fee, IndiGo responded, “As per our revised policy, all seats will be chargeable for web check-in. As per report you may check-in at the airport for free. Seats will be assigned as per the availability.” Presently, customers only pay for premium and window seats for most airlines and for excess baggage, as applicable.

An Indigo spokesperson told “Based on consumer preferences, we have made some changes in pricing for an advance selection of seats. Moreover different prices for the different category were always there, we have further refined the price categories based on the consumer preferences observed. This is a usual practice followed by most airlines globally and in India. We are continuously evaluating consumer preferences and making price adjustments as per consumer demand”.

Sundar Pichai headed Google’s annual I/O developer’s conference was held at California’s shoreline amphitheatre. 8 important announcements were made in this most expected annual conference. Here are the most important announcements made, on the first day of the two day conference.

Google announced that it’ll be fully entering into artificial intelligence, with more emphasis on neural networks, natural language applications and computer vision analysis. Secondly, Google assistant will have continued conversation facility so that user need not say Hey Google or Ok Google every time. Thirdly, new AI features are included in Google photos so that users can convert black and white photos to Color, edit, rotate and color correct photos.

Google will unveil smart display, for YouTube and Google assistant. Google maps will have Google assistant feature, to help users with more information and assistance. An 8 times powerful DBU machine learning will be launched by Google. Besides these, AI will be inculcated in Google news, besides inclusion of AI smarts in iOS and Android apps.

As per report sources close to Prabhas have quashed rumors of him campaigning for the BJP in the upcoming general elections. Meanwhile when given that Prabhas uncle and actor Krishnam Raju is former MP of BJP and is an active politician in the party and expected to contest from Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency, speculations are afoot that BJP is mounting pressure on Krishnam Raju to rope in Prabhas to campaign for the party in AP and elsewhere.

Moreover considering that Prabhas has become a Pan India star post blockbuster success of Baahubali, Modi & Shah co wanted Prabhas to support BJP ahead of 2019 elections. Accordingly the duo’s plans may not work as Prabhas seems to be totally focused about his filmy career and not interested in politics at the moment. Presently BJP is planning to field Krishnam Raju into elections and is expecting Prabhas to campaign for him at least in the contesting constituency which sends signals that the star is sailing with the Lotus.

Moreover BJP has little support in AP and further on top of it, its anti-AP decisions such as denying Special Category Status, denying Railway Zone to Vizag, delaying Kadapa steel plant, denying port at Dugarajapatnam and heavy tax burden, lack of incentives, demonetization, poor cash flow in the state may come back to bite the Modi sarkar.

As per report in a big shock to TRS ahead of elections, TRS’ Khammam district president Bheg has resigned to the party. Accordingly Bheg, who had contested from Khammam Parliament in 2014 elections, had lost in the polls and he has been made as the Industrial Development Corporation Chairman.

Meanwhile Bheg is said to be not convinced with the post. Furthermore with growing importance to Tummala Nageswara Rao who defected to TRS from TDP and growing groupism in TRS, Bheg has been upset and unhappy over not getting due recognition in the party and he is of the opinion that he is being ignored.

Moreover amidst this, Bheg has decided to quit TRS, where he would be joining Telugu Desam Party in the presence of Chandrababu Naidu. Bheg would be meeting Chandrababu on 28th December during his visit to Khammam. Hence this is going to be an unexpected shock to TRS in this election season. Previously its Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy has resigned and joined Congress.

Recently furious with YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for saying that he can’t assure the Kapu community reservations if he came to power, Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham said that his statement insulted the community. Meanwhile when addressing the media, Padmanabham said, “Jagan’s statement has insulted his entire community and what sin did this community commit? Aren’t this community’s members Indian citizens and doesn’t this community belong to Andhra Pradesh? We didn’t migrate from other countries.”

Meanwhile he added that Jagan making such a statement at the place where the agitation began was hurtful. Furthermore Padmanabham said, addressing Jagan “Please don’t hurt community emotions and sentiments”. Moreover Jagan addressed a gathering at Jaggampeta in East Godavari district on Saturday as part of Praja Sankalpa Yatra and he said that instead of reservation, he would double the funds for the Kapu Corporation from the existing Rs 5,000 crore.

Moreover when explaining his rationale on why he can’t assure reservations, Jagan said that as reservations fall under the ambit of the Centre and claimed that he would not make promises he cannot keep. Jagan said “The issue is in the hands of the Centre and there have been instances in which reservation given by states was struck down”.

Accordingly in order to attract new customers, telecom giants continue to offer freebies to the users all the operators are bringing down their tariffs and offering discounts. Recently BSNL has reportedly launched a new plan of Rs 75 for prepaid subscribers. Meanwhile under the new plan, customers get 10GB of data, unlimited voice calls as well as 500 SMS benefits.

Moreover according to TelecomTalk, the new recharge plan comes with validity 15 days. Furthermore the interesting part is one can extend the same plan by recharging with an STV of Rs 98 and above and the validity extension functionality can be used to extend benefits by up to six months (180 days). Reports added in addition, if one recharges with the STVs of recharge value between Rs 98 and Rs 199, customers will get an extension of 90 days and if recharged above Rs 200, the validity of Rs 75 plan will be extended by 180 days.

Hence the report states that plans that are eligible for validity extension include, Rs 98, Rs 99, Rs 118, Rs 139, Rs 187, Rs 198, Rs 319, Rs 333, Rs 339, Rs 349, Rs 395, Rs 444, Rs 447 and Rs 551. Moreover notably, the plan is only available in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana circle and it is unknown whether BSNL will expand the new Rs 75 recharge plan to other regions. The new BSNL prepaid plan competes against Reliance Jio’s Rs 98 plan that offers users 2GB of 4G data, 300 SMS benefits as well as unlimited voice calling for 28 days.

All eyes are Kukatpally constituency as it marks the political debut of Nandamuri Suhasini, daughter of Harikrishna. She has been actively campaigning in the region from the day she filed her nomination and accordingly the support is also growing for her.

On Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh minister Paritala Sunitha campaigned in Kukatpally constituency and predicted that Suhasini will definitely win the election with a huge majority. Speaking to the media, Sunitha said, “Suhasini is a well-educated person and it’s welcome move by our party chief Chandrababu Naidu. As a family member I came to campaign and I’m sure of her victory.”

Former MP Sarve Satyanarayana too took part in the election campaign. Meanwhile Kukatpally TRS leader Gottimukkal Padmarao had resigned to the party and extended his support to Suhasini.

There are also reports that Balakrishna will campaign by the end of this week and if Jr NTR, Kalyan Ram join the party, then Suhasini might snap a sensational win.

Satya Pal Malik, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has said that Sajjad Lone would have been made the Chief Minister if he listened to the Centre’s instructions, before dissolving the Assembly last week. “If I listened to Delhi, I would have to instal Sajjad Lone as CM. I would have become dishonest forever.” Malik made the remarks as there was a controversy over his non-functional fax machine.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on November 21st sent an official communique to the Raj Bhawan via fax, staking claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir in alliance with the Congress and National Conference. Later, she tweeted saying her fax wasn’t going through to the Governor’s Office and hence, she made her decision public as she had no other option in reaching out to the Governor.

After Mehbooba’s claims, Sajjad Lone as tried to send a letter to the Governor staking claim to form the government with the support of BJP MLAs. But, after receiving no response, Lone said he had sent the letter to the Governor PA’s WhatsApp number.

However, in response, Malik added that the PDP and National Conference were not serious about forming the government and wanted to see the state assembly dissolved. He added that he is completely apolitical and isn’t biased towards Lone or the BJP.

With Maoist activities still prevalent and active on the Andhra-Odisha border, Andhra Pradesh DGP R.P Thakur has taken a measure that has become the talk among government officials. Araku MLA and Tribal Welfare minister of Andhra Pradesh Kidari Sravan Kumar has been provided Octopus security.

Kidari, though the youngest minister in AP Cabinet, is the only one to have got such an elite security cover. Octopus (Organisation for Counter Terrorist Operations) is an elite anti-terror group formed in 2007. The OCTOPUS commandos are trained to handle highly sophisticated weaponry. Apparently, after his father Kidari Sarveswara Rao got killed my Maoists, there is intelligence information that Sravan’s life also has the Reds threat and hence, the security cover has been upgraded for him.

This is the first time that the AP Government has provided such an elite security force to guard a minister. According to sources, senior ministers and other leaders in the party are fretting at such a security upgrade for the young minister. However, the seniors and TDP leaders need understand the sensitivity of the situation in which Sravan was made an MLA and need to respect it.

It is very common for the political leaders to sling mud at one another, but there limit for the same.

However, there seems to be no such limit for actor-turned-Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan in making allegations against his political rivals – Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

In a bid to project himself as a paragon of virtues compared to Naidu and Jagan, Pawan has gone to the extent of making wild allegations against them, saying both the TDP and YSRC presidents were hand in glove with each other.

At a meeting in Rajahmundry on Monday, Pawan alleged that Naidu was sharing the booty of corrupt money with Jagan.

He said Naidu was giving a share to Jagan in all the commissions he was getting in the execution of projects in Andhra Pradesh.

“Naidu is ensuring that Jagan gets his commissions on time. Both of them have been looting the state and sharing the booty,” Pawan alleged.

He said he wouldn’t have attacked Jagan, had the latter done his duty properly as the leader of the opposition.

“He should have attended the assembly to expose the government’s corrupt practices. Otherwise, it creates an impression that Jagan is also a part of Naidu’s corruption. It is better his party MLAs advise him to go to the assembly at least now,” he said.

What is worse, Pawan has also questioned Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s bachelorhood.

“People say Rahul is a bachelor. I don’t know how far it is true. We cannot see what is going on inside,” he said.

He, however, quickly corrected himself.

“I don’t want to talk about personal matters of leaders, as long as they do not impact the people. But if they have any impact on the governance and law, definitely, I will speak about them,” he said.

Nizamabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao is so insecure that he relies on astrologers and ‘pooja paat.

Addressing his maiden election rally here, he slammed Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief and described the TRS and Congress as two sides of the same coin.

“This Chief Minister feels insecure and has no confidence in himself. He relies either on jyotish or pooja paat or ties nimbu mirchi,” said Modi, mocking at the rituals often performed by KCR.

Modi, in his speech, repeatedly attacked KCR for what he called failing to fulfil the promises made in 2014. He recalled that the TRS chief had publicly stated that he will not seek votes if he failed to provide drinking water to every household.

“Has he not misled people? Should he not be punished for this? A person who can’t even provide drinking water should not be allowed to rule,” he said.

Alleging that KCR destroyed Telangana, Modi said this was not surprising as KCR had done his ‘apprenticeship’ in the Congress. “He learnt it from Congress, which has PhD in destroying the country.”

The Prime Minister said both the Congress and TRS were family-centric parties, both lacked internal democracy and both indulged in vote bank politics and minority appeasement.

Recalling that KCR worked as a Minister in the Congress-led UPA government, Modi remarked that a person who ate “UPA’s salt” can’t be a rival of Congress.

“He was in Madam’s remote controlled government and was enjoying (power),” Modi said.

Modi urged people not to allow the Congress to make a comeback and pointed out that no state allowed the Congress to return after throwing it out of power.

He said people in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal were ready to trust others but not the Congress.

Stating that people of Telangana were caught between the devil and deep sea, Modi said the only alternative before them was the BJP, which he said would transform the state.