2008 news

July 14 
Congress to enrol members from July 14

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D. Srinivas has called upon the party’s district committees’ presidents and other leaders to ensure enrolment of all party sympathisers in the voters’ lists in the ongoing revision.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Mr. Srinivas announced the launch of the party’s membership drive from July 14 targeting at least 50 lakh members against the previous year’s 34.43 lakh. AICC general secretary Veerappa Moily would formally launch the drive.

Friday, Jul 11, 2008

Srinivas meets Sonia Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president D. Srinivas met All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi here on Thursday and discussed reorganisation and strengthening of the party in view of the forthcoming polls to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly in the State.

Ms. Gandhi reportedly instructed him to mobilise more support for the UPA government from Andhra Pradesh for the crucial confidence motion to be tabled by it in Lok Sabha in view of the withdrawal of support by Left parties on the nuclear deal issue.

Mr. Srinivas later told The Hindu that besides discussing party affairs, the visit of Ms. Gandhi to Nellore, Krishnapatnam and Ongole on July 17 were finalised.

She would reach Renigunta from Delhi and launch the government’s Arogyasri health programme, lay foundation for the 2 x 800 MW thermal power project and address a public meeting, all in Nellore, on that day and later proceed to Krishnapatnam to inaugurate the port, which had come up on a public-private partnership there. Later in the afternoon, she will go to Ongole to interact with the women SHG members

DS queering YSR’s pitch?

July 6 2008

HYDERABAD: Is Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president D Srinivas trying to create problems for Chief Minister YS Rajasekara Reddy?

If credence is to be given to observations being made by many Congress leaders, that does seem to be the case.

Addressing a gathering at Gandhi Bhavan yesterday, Srinivas, obviously referring to Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, said the leader of a political party had created a rift among the Scheduled Castes (SCs) by splitting them into two categories.

“Once a formidable force, the SCs began to fight among themselves and this put back their cause by two decades. One of the two sections has perhaps been unjustly treated but things can yet be resolved amicably,” he said.

What has raised eyebrows in the party is why Srinivas has thought it fit to raise the sensitive matter of categorisation when it is nearing finalisation.

Voicing his apprehension over the utterances, a senior Congress leader remarked: “Going by Srinivas’ style of functioning in the 2004 elections, his potential to create problems must be borne in mind. We should not forget that he had even eyed the chief minister’s post.”

He feared that tensions between the APCC chief and the chief minister could become manifest soon – and certainly as the elections draw closer.

Another leader too questioned the propriety of the categorisation issue being raised at this juncture.

For his part, Municipal Administration Minister Koneru Ranga Rao maintained that Srinivas’ views had been misunderstood.

The factual position, he said, was that categorisation was being examined legally and the bill would soon be passed in Parliament.

But Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) president Manda Krishna Madiga was firm that the PCC president “immediately withdraw his comments and render an apology.”

“The Madigas can get justice only by categorisation. Will the PCC president dare suggest to the chief minister that the process be stopped?” he asked. However, Mala Mahanadu president Jupudi Prabhakar Rao welcomed Srinivas’ statement, and said it reflected the “true picture”.

Meanwhile, the PCC was quick to swing into damage control mode. “Our president simply stated that it was possible to do justice to all sections amicably.

Srinivas’s statement was wrongly quoted by the media,” claimed PCC spokespersons P Venkata Rao, N Thalsi Reddy and B Kamalakara Rao.

PCC president clarifies on SC categorisation
Hyderabad | Sunday, Jul 6 2008 IST

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President D Srinivas today said the Congress party and the State Government was in favour of categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SC) to achieve their constitutional rights.

Addressing a press conference here, he categorically stated that he had not made any remarks on the categorisation of Scheduled Castes as reported in a section of the media. The government had passed a resolution in the Assembly and submitted the Usha Mehra Commission report on SC categorisation to the National Commission for SCs, which was processing, he added.

The PCC Chief clarified that while addressing the gathering of SC wing of the party on Friday, he had said that a political party was trying to divide the community for their politcal advantage.

“I am totally in favour of categorisation of SCs. The party and the government is fully supporting the categorisation which is very essential to achieve their rights,” he added.