Zee Media Bureau/Kamna Arora and Manisha Singh
9:18 pm: Seemandhra government teachers agree to call off their strike
The Andhra Pradesh government succeeded in convincing its striking teachers in Seemandhra districts to call off their indefinite fast on Thursday night, but talks with the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSTRC) employees remained inconclusive, as per a news agency. "Government teachers have agreed to end their strike and resume duties from tomorrow," AP Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy told reporters at the end of the talks held in the presence of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at his camp office.
8:30 pm: Andhra Bank offers loan to Seemandhra govt employees on strike
Andhra Bank, a state-owned lender, has started offering one-month salary as loan to striking government employees in Seemandhra region, as per a news agency. According to a senior official of the bank at the head office, all government employees who have salary accounts with Andhra bank will be offered one-month net salary as loan under `Super Salary Account` and will be recovered in two instalments after they get their salary.
6:20 pm: Telangana affair shows Congress`s political failure, says BJP
The BJP said today that developments in Telangana showed Congress`s failure on the political front. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar while talking to the media said that rising prices and corruption were a proof that the UPA had failed on the economic front while what is happening in Telangana indicates that it has failed on the political front.
6:15 pm: Ruling Congress may lose leaders to rivals: Reports
An exodus from the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh may be in the offing on the back of division over creation of Telangana, as per agency reports. One after the other, elected representatives of the party from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema districts are likely to exit the Congress, protesting the proposed bifurcation of the state, as per a news agency. Nandyal MP S P Y Reddy was the first to quit the Congress and join the YSR Congress. He also resigned from his Lok Sabha membership but the resignation is pending disposal. Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, who announced a few days ago that he was quitting the Congress in protest against the state bifurcation move, met Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu at his fast camp in New Delhi today, triggering talk that he may join the main opposition party.
2:00 pm: YSR Congress slams Congress
Accusing the Congress of carrying out selective leaks against it on the Telengana issue, YSR Congress said former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy never supported the creation of a separation state.
"He never supported carving out Telangana. He worked for the constitution of the second States Reorganisation Commission," YSR Congress leader MV Mysoora Reddy told reporters here.
Releasing documents to substantiate his point, he said, "60 percent of people in Andhra Pradesh are against bifurcation".
A YSR Congress delegation met CPI-M, CPI, DMK and BJP leaders to impress upon them against the division of Andhra Pradesh.
Also Read: YSR Congress accuses Congress of carrying out selective leaks
1:55 pm: Respite for Seemandhra
In a major respite from power woes for people of Seemandhra, electricity employees called off their strike, five days after they began their stir demanding the Centre to take back its decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
The electricity employees called off their five-day strike in view of a cyclone threat.
After talks with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, leaders of Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Seemandhra electricity employees told reporters that they were temporarily suspending the strike on humanitarian grounds.
One of the leaders R Saibaba said if necessary they would resume the strike to pressurise the Centre to keep the state united.
Power generation and transmission crippled in all 13 districts of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra), caused severe hardships to people, badly affecting medical services, disrupting movement of trains and bringing the industrial production to a halt.
Over 30,000 electricity employees participated in the strike, which had paralysed generation of 4,000 Megawatt at all thermal and hydel power plants in Seemandhra.
Power cuts in Seemandhra caused misery to patients in government-run and even private hospitals. Hospitals were even forced to postpone surgeries.
1:10 pm: Will give justice to people of Andhra Pradesh, says Shinde
The Government said it will go ahead with its decision to create Telangana despite protests in Seemandhra region, but remained non-committal on imposition of President`s rule in Andhra Pradesh.
Asked why there was no representative from Andhra Pradesh in the GoM constituted on Tuesday, the Home Minister said that would not be an issue even if no one in the ministerial panel is from the southern state.
"Justice will be given to Andhra Pradesh," he said.
Shinde also explained the process of creation of a new state, saying after the GoM works out the modalities, a series of steps are expected to follow involving both the central and state governments.
The Home Ministry will prepare another note with the Re-organisation Bill on the basis of the recommendations and suggestions of the GoM requesting the Union Cabinet to approve it and to recommend to the President to refer the Bill to the legislature of the state.
After the Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister would recommend to the President that the draft Bill be referred under Article 3 of the Constitution to the state legislature for their views to be given within 30 days.
1:00 pm: Jaganmohan Reddy undergoing treatment
YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hyderabad where he was admitted following a five-day fast in support of united Andhra Pradesh.
Police had last night evicted Reddy from the venue of his indefinite hunger strike called to protest bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh as doctors voiced concern over his deteriorating health.
A team of policemen swooped on Jagan`s house at Lotus Pond in posh Jubilee Hills area late last night and bodily lifted him before putting him into an ambulance and taking him straight to the state-run Nizam`s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
YSR Congress leaders said Jagan is likely to remain in the hospital for the day as his condition deteriorated due to the fast.
Also Read: Jaganmohan Reddy undergoing treatment at NIMS
12:05 pm: HC agrees to hear Rajagopal`s plea
The Delhi High Court decided to hear a plea of Seemandhra Congress leader and MP Lagadapati Rajagopal seeking a direction to the Lok Sabha Speaker to accept his resignation over the Telangana issue.
Justice VK Jain asked Additional Solicitor General Rajeeve Mehra to assist the court, saying that a question of law is involved in the matter.
Rajagopal had submitted his resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on August 2 in protest against the Centre`s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and form a separate Telangana state.
Senior advocate Jayant Bhushan, appearing for Rajagopal, argued that there is no provision in the Constitution to compel an MP to continue like this after his resignation.
Also Read: HC agrees to hear Seemandhra Congress leader Rajagopal`s plea
12:04 pm: Pallam Raju skips key CABE meeting
HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju, who has submitted his resignation over the Telangana issue, skipped the crucial CABE meeting which is deliberating on a host of issues including teacher trainings and review of mid-day meal programme in the country.
Minister of State for HRD Jitin Prasada is presiding over the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) meet which is being attended by state Education Ministers, academicians and experts.
Raju, who has been skipping the official programmes ever since he submitted his resignation, had attended an award ceremony organised by his Ministry at Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday to honour winners of `Presidential Awards For Classical Tamil`.
He and his four Ministerial colleagues from the Seemandhra region had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday to press for their resignation but had got no word on its acceptance. Raju had skipped Tuesday`s Union Cabinet meeting.
Also Read: Telangana: Pallam Raju skips key CABE meeting
11:55 pm: No respite from power woes
There is no respite from power woes for people of Seemandhra as electricity employees continued their strike for the fifth day on Thursday, demanding the Centre to take back its decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
Power generation and transmission remained crippled in all 13 districts of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra), causing severe hardships to people, badly affecting medical services, disrupting movement of trains and bringing the industrial production to a halt.
Another round of talks are scheduled on Thursday between leaders of striking employees and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. The talks on Tuesday night had failed as the employees refused to call off the strike till a firm assurance that the state will not be bifurcated.
Over 30,000 electricity employees are participating in the strike, which has paralysed generation of 4,000 Megawatt at all thermal and hydel power plants in Seemandhra.
According to reports reaching the state capital, electricity is being supplied to major towns during night time but majority of small towns and villages remain in dark. It is also having its impact on Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana with authorities imposing three to six hour power cuts.
Also Read: No respite for Seemandhra from power woes
11:20 am: TRS slams Andhra CM
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) slammed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy for being ‘sadistic’ and ‘enjoying the misery of the Seemandhra people’.
Talking to a news channel, TRS president KT Rama Rao said Kiran Kumar’s actions were not in line with that of a chief minister and vowed his party would never agree to an united Andhra Pradesh.
On Wednesday, the TRS had urged Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan to dismiss Kiran Kumar Reddy for his bias towards one region.
“As long as its own Chief Minister is openly saying he doesn’t want Telangana, how can the people take the centre’s promise of a separate state seriously?”, Rao asked today.
Notably, the TRS has sought President’s rule in Andhra Prdaesh.
11:05 pm: Congress MP Rao meets Naidu
Congress MP Rayapthi Samabsiva Rao, who had quit Lok Sabha in protest against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, meets Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who is on fast in New Delhi.
11:00 pm: Congress responsible for Andhra Pradesh mess, says BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Javadekar blamed the Congress for the mess created in Andhra Pradesh by supporting Telangana statehood.
10:00 am: Chandrababu Naidu to be evicted?
Reports say Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who continued his fast at Andhra Pradesh Bhawan in New Delhi on the fourth day, will be forcibly evicted the way YSR Congress party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy was shifted by police to a hospital in Hyderabad on Wednesday night.
Chandrababu Naidu to be evicted Jaganmohan Reddy way?
9:50 am: Curfew in Vizianagaram relaxed for 2 hrs
Curfew in violence-hit Vizianagaram town in the district was relaxed for two hours this morning to facilitate people to purchase essential commodities as the situation is fast returning to normal.
With the situation showing improvement, authorities will also extend another relaxation in curfew between 2 PM to 4 PM, DIG (Vizag) P Umapathi told a news agency today.
The curfew was clamped in Vizianagaram town on Saturday night in the wake of large-scale violence by anti-bifurcation agitators.
Umapathi said curfew was being lifted as no fresh violence is reported since last three days in Vizianagaram town.
The curfew was relaxed for two hours last morning also to facilitate people to buy essential commodities.
Also Read: Telangana: Curfew in Vizianagaram relaxed for two hours
8:30 am: Will Pallam Raju attend CABE meeting today?
Uncertainty looms over the presence of HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju, who has resigned over Telengana issue, at the crucial CABE meeting today, which among others would deliberate on the status of the mid-day meal programme.
The minister`s close aides are uncertain over his presence at the meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), the highest decision-making body on education in the country.
Raju has refused to join office ever since he resigned from the Union Council of Ministers and had also skipped the meeting of the Union Cabinet on Tuesday.
On Monday, Raju along with four other ministers from the Seemandhra region had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting him to accept their resignations but had got no assurance.
The CABE meeting, chaired by the HRD Minister, is attended by state education ministers, academicians and other experts.
8:05 am: Chandrababu Naidu continues fast in Delhi
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu continued his fast at Andhra Pradesh Bhawan in New Delhi on the fourth day, despite being directed to vacate the place.
Mild tension prevailed at AP Bhawan on Wednesday morning when the officials closed the gate and did not allow in TDP leaders and activists. After a heated argument and the attempts by some activists to break the lock, the authorities opened the gate.
Resident commissioner had on Tuesday directed Naidu to vacate AP Bhawan as there was no permission for the fast. The former chief minister, however, refused to leave the place.
TDP leader S Chandramohan Reddy warned that any attempt to disrupt Naidu`s fast would have serious consequences.
8:00 am: YSR Congress slams police`s late night action
YSR Congress party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, who was on indefinite fast for five days to protest the central government`s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, was forcibly shifted by police to a hospital on Wednesday night.
As the condition of the Kadapa MP deteriorated, police took him from hunger strike camp in front of his Lotus Pond residence to Nizam`s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
Meanwhile, YSR Congress leader Somayajulu said though Jagan`s health had deteriorated, yet police should not have done that at midnight.
Jaganmohan Reddy and his supporters resisted police attempts to shift the MP but policemen bodily lifted him to a waiting ambulance and took him to hospital, eye witnesses said.
The young leader was suffering from dehydration and fever and his blood sugar had come down. As doctors had warned that if the fast continued, he may slip into coma, police swung into action.
