meekosam

The Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu gave a heady start to his 100 days odyssey across the State on Monday after offering prayers at the Mathammagudi of his native Chandragiri constituency. Incidentally, it was in the same temple that he had offered prayers in 1978 when he made his electoral debut as a Congress candidate. The temple received a fresh coat of Snowcem and paint while the entire Dalit hamlet wore a festive look. He entered the village amidst lot of pageantry organized by the villagers and the local party members.

Later, he got on board his custom made 'Praja Chaitanya Ratham' along with party top leaders. Setting out on his roadshow that is likely to last 100 to 150 days, he was seen spewing fire at his betenoire YS Rajasekhara Reddy and the Congress. He said that his yatra was aimed at exposing the government's acts of omission and commission and to unmask the Congress leaders.

He reiterated that he along with the like minded parties was trying to reorient the reforms regime in such a way that its entire benefit went to the poor and peasant community and all the distortions it has caused to our socio economic sector were set right. The TDP president announced that 9 to 10 hours free supply to agriculture, free domestic power supply up to 50 units and loans to small farmers at 10 paise interest

soniais tribute

the members of the Congress Working Committee met in New Delhi on 13th March 2008 on the eve of completion of 10 years of Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s Presidentship of the Indian National Congress. We are privileged to place on record our deep gratitude for the leadership provided by her to the Party. This is a historic milestone in the 122 years’ history of Congress - India’s oldest and pre-eminent political movement - the inheritor of rich legacy of struggle and sacrifice for the freedom and the instrument for guiding the reconstruction of independent India.

Ten years ago, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, had responded to the collective request of the leadership and workers of the Party to step in and guide the organization at a time when the Congress was going through a turbulent phase and was confronted with daunting challenges. As the President of the AICC, she worked tirelessly, traveling the length and breadth of the country to lead the process of Party’s revival. Her efforts arrested the drift and despondency which had gripped the organization in the preceding years.

As Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi galvanized the rank and file of the Party which led to its successful campaign in the 2004 General Elections proving the skeptics wrong and ensuring the formation of Congress-led UPA Government. She has strengthened the organization through her expressed belief in free and democratic exchange of views and consensus-building on important policy initiatives. She is recognized for her selfless commitment to the spirit of service to the country and its people. Her personal example of refusal to accept power and instead to work for organization has rekindled the time-cherished values of the Congress.

Smt. Sonia Gandhi has upheld the rich traditions of the illustrious Nehru-Gandhi family and strongly identified herself with the core values espoused by the Indian National Congress for the cause of the underprivileged and the marginalized. The commendable initiatives of the UPA Government for bringing Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and the revolutionary package to farmers, including the writing off Rs.60,000 crores of farmers debt, were influenced by the Congress President’s solidarity with the Indian farmer and unemployed rural youth. Her prompt response to natural calamities and reaching out to the victims of violence and terrorism, has underscored her empathy for the suffering of the people.

The Congress President inspired the Indian National Congress to take the historic initiative to commemorate the centenary of the Satyagraha launched by Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa on 9/11 in 1906. The Declaration adopted at the global conference convened in New Delhi urged the United Nations to declare 2nd October, the date of birth of Mahatma Gandhi, as International Day of Non-violence. This led to India’s Resolution at the UN, which was unanimously adopted. It was, therefore, a matter of pride and satisfaction for the people of India to achieve this during the 60th year of India’s independence. She addressed a Special Session of the UN General Assembly to mark its first observance and reaffirmed humanity’s abiding commitment to the principle of non-violence and Gandhian philosophy.

This meeting acknowledges with appreciation and gratitude the dynamic and courageous leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi as President of the Indian National Congress and her immense contribution in revitalizing the Party, in inspiring the Congressmen and women to collectively work for nation-building and empowerment of the weak and poor.

We are proud of her humane qualities and leadership.

no support to goud

Looks like former Home Minister and Nava Telangana Praja Party president T Devender Goud is getting isolated in the State politics.

Goud has distanced himself from Telangana Rashtra Samithi because he does not like the dictatorial attitude of TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and so, there is no possibility of he joining hands with TRS in the next elections. The TRS is looking up to the Bharatiya Janata Party for an alliance, while Telugu Desam is planning for a third alternative in association with the Left parties and BSP.

Megastar Chiranjeevi wants to go alone in the elections and is not for any alliances, even he takes a positive stand on Telangana. The Congress, any way, does not allow Goud into its camp, because right from the beginning, he has been very critical of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

So, there is no party, which is interested in having alliance with the Goud party. At the most, he might try for a post-poll alliance with Chiru, sources say.

young politics

Now that film star, Chiranjeevi, broke the silence about the political party, the movement in political circles took high speed in the State. The ruling Congress, the Opposition Telugu Desam, have already started finding suitable candidates to challenge the film popularity of Chiranjeevi and his candidates.

The Telugu Desam president, N Chandrababu Naidu, had roped in the family of NTR and is actively considering naming Junior NTR as its Telugu Yuvatha president. Though the family members, including Balakrishna, Harikrishna, Kalyanram and Junior NTR, was scheduled to get into active politics during the by-elections in Telangana, they did not come out as their positions in the party were yet to finalise. According to the sources, the family has been insisting on giving the post of the president to Balakrishna and Telugu Yuvatha president to Junior NTR. However, Chandrababu Naidu had agreed to give the Yuvatha post to Junior NTR but was reluctant to miss the party president post as it would leave him powerless.

The family had suggested that Naidu may continue to be the president, but give an equal post to Balakrishna as that would make the film star’s hands stronger. While the position of Balakrishna in the party is yet to be decided, the TD boss had almost finalised the candidature of Junior NTR as the Yuvatha president. The decision, according to the party sources, was taken in the light of the announcement from the Chiru camp that it would make power star, Pawan Kalyan as the party’s youth wing president. Pawan Kalyan has greater image among the youth and Chiru’s camp is sure of keeping its youth force intact with Pawan Kalyan.

Having heard of the two developments – Junior NTR for Telugu Yuvatha and Pawan Kalyan for Chiru’s Youth wing – the ruling Congress is actively considering the possibility of naming Prince Mahesh Babu for the Youth Congress. Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy had already held initial talks with Mahesh Babu’s father, Krishna, two weeks ago when the later met him. In fact, it was one of the reasons why the State government had delegated the land to Padmalaya Studios owned by Krishna.

If this happens, the Congress would have Mahesh Babu heading the Youth Congress, followed by Junior NTR heading the Telugu Yuvatha and Pawan Kalyan heading the youth wing of Chiru’s party. With the three major parties having the young stars heading their youth wings, the BJP would be forced to seek the help of Rebel Star, Krishnam Raju to allow Prabhas to head the BJP’s youth wing – Yuva Morcha – to strike a balance with other parties.