Now that the deadline for withdrawal of nomination has also ended, all the political parties in Telangana are busy pacifying the rebel candidates. A Congress leader marched a step further and did an unusual thing to calm down his opponent.

KS Ratnam who shifted from TRS to Congress, also managed to ticket for the Chevella constituency. Another leader from the same constituency Padala Venkata Swami was denied ticket and so he is upset. Ratnam has been trying to appease Padala but he could not. With the election date nearing, Ratnam made his moves swiftly to get Padala’s support at all cost and accordingly in a meeting with Congressmen, Ratnam had bowed down and touch the feet of Padala.

This act has shocked everyone and with no other option left Padala welcomed Ratnam and assured all the possible help in election.

Though this is not a way to sort things with rebels, it worked for Ratnam. We have to see how many will copy him or look for other ways.

Known for its effective management techniques, the Congress high command has gone out of the way to appease the rebel candidates who had filed nominations in the seats allotted to official candidates.For the first time, the high command sent its top leaders including Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Veerappa Moily and Bose Raju from Delhi and D K Shiva Kumar from Karnataka, besides former Union ministers S Jaipal Reddy and T Subbarami Reddy to talk to rebel candidates, pacify them and request them to withdraw from the contest.

The senior leaders went to the residences of former Serilingampalli MLA Bhikshpathi Yadav, Thotakura Jangaiah Yadav, Vajresh Yadav and Naini Rajender Reddy on Wednesday night.They also met former Union minister Renuka Chowdary, who has been sulking ever since the nomination process began. All of them have finally agreed to withdraw from the contest.Earlier, they managed to pacify former minister Sabita Indra Reddy’s son P Karthik Reddy and others to drop out from the contest.

Only Ranga Reddy DCC president Kyama Mallesh revolted against the party and was suspended from his post. He is likely to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.Obviously, the Congress party did not want to take chances, as the elections have become prestigious for it to come back to power.The party is not ready to lose even a single winnable seat. They promised the rebels that they would be accommodated either as MLAs or give them party tickets for Lok Sabha elections.

It is learnt that the leaders are pacifying the discontented leaders of Warangal East but Congress contestant Vaddiraju Ravichandra is not willing to withdraw his nomination.Mr. Vaddiraju is pressurising Congress high command to make TJS candidate Gade Innayya out of elections.

Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, who resigned from Telangana Rashtra Samithi a couple of days ago and is all set to join the Congress party in the presence of former AICC chief and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday, has given an interesting leak to the media.

When Vishweshwar Reddy wanted to resign last week itself, he got a call from TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s son and state IT minister K T Rama Rao.

The MP met KTR at Pragathi Bhavan, where the latter tried to pacify him and requested him not to take any hasty decision.

What surprised Vishweshwar Reddy was a comment made by KTR. The minister told the MP that he was going to become the next chief minister, if TRS comes to power in Telangana.

“I will become the chief minister in December and I will continue to be the CM for another 15 years. So, I will protect all your business and political interests. Don’t worry,” KTR reportedly told him.

However, KTR did not give any assurance with regard to reining in transport minister Mahender Reddy, who has virtually turned an extra constitutional authority in Chevella.

The following day, KTR called the MP and told him that he would be suspended from the party, if he did not take part in the election campaign for TRS MLAs. An agitated Reddy resigned from the party by evening.

The MP leaked this information to the media in his off-the-record chat and within hours, it became viral.

If what he said is true, it will lend credence to the talk that has been going all these days that KCR had gone in for early elections only with a view to make KTR as the next chief minister.

Japanese multinational conglomerate company Hitachi has heaped praises on Andhra Pradesh and its Chief Minister aka CEO Chandrababu Naidu at its landmark event ‘Hitachi Social Innovation Forum 2018’ held at Sydney in Australia on 21st November, 2018 i.e Wednesday.

Hitachi India head spoke about AP state and how it’s growing with the help of CBN using latest technologies. The objective of Hitachi Social Innovation Forum 2018 is to discuss the Social Innovation across the world and recognize the innovation. The focus of this year’s Social Innovation was on Mining, Healthcare, Agriculture, Security, and Transportation.

During this, Hitachi head has praised Andhra Pradesh state for bringing revolution in governance in the state. It said the ‘Real Time Governance’ is able to analyze big data sets gathered from various sources to make insightful decisions that vibrantly transform citizen services. AP state government has took help from Hitachi in this endeavour.

He said using technology, AP is providing an angile and efficient public service delivery system to benefit nearly 50 million citizens in a 360-degree life cycle. It can be noted that Andhra Pradesh has been awarded 2018 Hitachi Transformation Award for its ‘Real Time Governance’.

Hyderabad: Top Congress and BJP leaders are all set to plunge into the electioneering in Telangana for the next month’s Assembly polls even as the ruling TRS has had a head start.

With the deadline for withdrawal of nominations coming to an end on Thursday, all major contenders were finalising their schedules for their star campaigners.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu, several central ministers and top leaders of the two national parties were set to hit the campaign trail.

Sonia Gandhi will be addressing an election meeting at Medchal on the outskirts here on November 23. The meet was expected to give a headstart to the party’s campaign as it heads a four-party ‘Mahakutami’ or grand alliance ahead of the single phase December 7 polls.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will share the stage with his mother on Friday at the meet.

As this is Sonia Gandhi’s first visit to Telangana after the formation of the state, the party leaders were holding it as a thanksgiving event in her honour for carving out the state.

Rahul Gandhi will again visit Telangana on November 28 and 29 and later on December 3 to address a series of rallies in different parts of the state.

Modi was expected to give boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party campaign by addressing a few rallies on November 27 and December 3. State BJP leaders say Modi may participate in the campaign in four districts, including here, covering the constituencies where the party is considered strong.

BJP chief Amit Shah, who addressed a couple of public meetings during September and October, plans to visit Telangana for three days soon to address 12 rallies.

Party’s Telangana unit president K. Laxman said Amit Shah will address the meetings on November 25, 27 and 28.

BJP is contesting all 119 seats on its own. Several union ministers are also likely to campaign for the party candidates. Health Minister J.P. Nadda and party general secretary Ram Madhav have already addressed a few meetings.

In his first-ever election in alliance with Congress party, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is likely to address a few rallies. Party leaders say he may share the dais with Rahul Gandhi.

TDP, a constituent of ‘Mahakutami’ is contesting on 14 seats. Popular actor and TDP MLA N. Balakrishna may also address a few meetings, especially in Kukatpally constituency here, where his niece N. Suhasini is a candidate.

Suhasini is the granddaughter of TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao. Her actor brothers Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram are also likely to campaign for her.

Meanwhile, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is racing ahead in the campaign with party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao addressing series of rallies. He is criss-crossing the state in a helicopter, seeking fresh mandate.

KCR, who had already addressed few meetings after dissolving the state assembly in September, plans to address 90 meetings in 15 days.

KCR’s son K.T. Rama Rao is another key campaigner for the party. He has hit campaign trail here and in surrounding districts, focusing on constituencies with sizeable number of voters who have their roots in Andhra Pradesh.

Besides, KCR’s daughter and party MP K. Kavitha and nephew Harish Rao were the other key campaigners for the party.

The campaign of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) is being led by its president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. He is addressing public meetings and conducting foot march for his party’s candidates in the eight constituencies here.

KTR & KCR are leaving no stone unturned to stop Revanth’s entry into Assembly. As part of it, TRS had already got senior leader, former and five-time MLA Gurunath Reddy into the party. And TRS has fielded Patnam Narender Reddy, brother of minister Patnam Mahender Reddy,against Revanth.

The latest is that KTR has visited Kodangal constituency today and addressed the people in a couple of public meetings. KTR has appealed to the people of Kodangal to defeat Revanth Reddy and asked them to give victory to TRS’ Narender Reddy. “Send Narender Reddy to Assembly in ‘Car’. We’ll provide irrigation water to all your fields so that you could have as many as crops and reap its fruits. Through Palamuru Lift Irrigation scheme, we ensure water is supplied to each and every farmer in Kodangal,” said KTR. KTR also stated that he would adopt Kodangal constituency if the people of the constituency make Narender Reddy their MLA thus defeat Revanth.

Breathing fire on Revanth, KTR alleged that Revanth has confined to Hyderabad and grossly ignored Kodangal. He said Revanth is limited to press conferences and verbal attack ignoring the people of his constituency. He said the large crowds to his public meeting in Kodangal indicates Revanth Reddy’s defeat in Kodangal. KTR has heaped promises to the people of Kodangal. He said CM KCR would do his best to Kodangal.

Looks like, KTR and KCR are trying their best to defeat Revanth in Kodangal. Let’s wait till Dec 11 to see what will be the verdict of Kodangal people.

Pawan Kalyan has made interesting political comments during his visit to Chennai. Pawan, who is on a mission to spread his party’s base in other states, has visited Chennai where he interacted with media there. During this, Pawan claimed that Janasena is storming to power in Andhra Pradesh and he would be becoming the Chief Minister in 2019. Pawan also claimed that he would lead the movement to protect the rights of South Indians.

Stating that Chandrababu Naidu is close to his retirement, Pawan took potshots at Nara Lokesh. Pawan alleged that Naidu is trying to promote his son Lokesh. “He had no experience before. Lokesh who hasn’t even contested in Panchayat polls is the minister for Panchayatraj.”

Pawan opined that ‘journey’ with Naidu would be dangerous. “Journey with Chandrababu is very dangerous. We never know when he would lift someone and when he would drop someone. He is unpredictable. We never know when he would befriend someone and when he would make enmity with someone. He can’t be trusted. Whoever joins his front, will be grossly cheated,” said Pawan.

Talking about YCP, Pawan said he hasn’t tried to forge any sort of alliance with opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Pawan said Janasena would contest on its own in 2019 general elections. He reiterated that his party would come to power as people strongly want an alternative in Andhra Pradesh.

Modi’s Rule Disappointed: Pawan

Responding to growing speculations that Pawan is a close ally to BJP and his party may support BJP, Pawan simply said that he is not a friend/ally to BJP. Interestingly, Pawan said that the Centre is biased towards North and is ignoring the interests of the South. He said BJP’s brightness has come down and the popularity of Modi is shrinking. He said Modi has disappointed with his rule. Pawan gave a call for all South Indian leaders to join their forces and fight together for the rightful share of South Indians. Pawan has demanded to constitute a Second capital in South India. He said even Constitution Chairman BR Ambedkar had recommended it.

He said that the people of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar are deciding who will rule the nation. This should change. South Indians should come together and should play a key role here afterwards. Pawan said he would also meet Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan in future.