Lite byte: Persuasion, perseverance pay off for Telangana Congress in successful conduct of Bharat Summit 2025
Post Pahalgam terror attack, the Telangana government believed to have mulled the idea of calling off the two-day Bharat Summit 2025 as the top guns of the ruling Congress expressed their inability to attend the event. This despite the government making all arrangements, vis-a-vas inviting foreign dignitaries, booking flights and hotels for them. Some dignitaries, in fact, had already arrived in the state capital head of the event, the main objective of which was to address 'rising polarisation through pluralism, diversity and respect', and to project Telangana as a model state with progressive thinking. But the state Congress finally managed to persuade its leaders, including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to attend the summit, leading to successful conduct of the event.
Focus on 'cleansing' CMO!
After the major reshuffle of IAS officers, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is now believed to be focusing on 'cleansing' the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Sources privy to the matter revealed that a key official is likely to be shunted out soon. However, as the official in question is said to be a close aide of the chief minister, he is unlikely to be shifted out in a 'humiliating' manner. The official, according to sources, is likely to be compensated with the post of a RTI commissioner.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Cong alleges 16 lakh voters added in 2 months before 2023 polls
Bhopal: The Congress on Tuesday continued its attack on the ruling BJP and the EC, alleging irregularities in the voter rolls of 27 constituencies in the 2023 assembly elections in the state. LOP Umang Singhar alleged bungling of 16 lakh votes in the assembly seats of Sevra, Gwalior (South), Surkhi, Mungaoli, Chhattarpur, Gunnour, Theothar, Chitrakoot, Maugunj, Karera, Teothar, Gurh, Dhauhani, Shahpura, Lanji, Shajapur, Haatpipaliya, Mandhata, Barwah, Alirajpur, Petlawad, Dharampuri, Depalpur, Indore – 5, Sailana, and Jawad. Addressing a press conference, Singhar claimed Congress candidates lost these seats by narrow margins while voter growth in these constituencies far exceeded the margin of defeat. "In seven months, between Jan 5, 2023, to Aug 2, 2023, the voter rolls in the state increased by 4.64 lakh voters. But between Aug 2, 2023, to Oct 4, the electoral rolls increased by 16.05 lakh votes, which means nearly 26,000 voters were added every day," Singhar said. "Did the EC inform the political parties about this huge and sudden increase in voters?" the LOP asked. Singhar claimed that a letter from the ECI dated June 9, 2023, directed the chief electoral officers (CEOs) of all states going for assembly elections that year, including Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Telangana, not to publish or share additions/deletions/amendments to the voter list made between January 1 to June 30, 2023, on their websites. The LOP argued that after Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi exposed SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of electoral rolls in Bihar and the misappropriation of votes in Karnataka during the last Parliamentary elections, the state Congress started probing the electoral rolls in the state. "The BJP govt in Madhya Pradesh was formed with a fake mandate and the EC has a specific role in this," Singhar said. "The EC claims it maintains transparency and provides electoral rolls to the political parties. But it is these voter lists that are bungled. Which is the voter list they provide to the party, and which is the one that is not given? Votes are increased or decreased. This is what happened in Madhya Pradesh," he claimed. The Congress maintained that BJP candidates won these 27 seats with slim margins, ranging from 28 votes in Shajapur where Congress' Hukum Singh Karada was defeated by BJP's Arun Bhimawad. The BJP candidate polled 98,184 in his favour while Hukum Singh Karada secured 98,034 votes. Between August 2, 2023, to October 4, 2023, the number of voters increased by 6,134. Another seat is Dharampuri where Congress candidate Panchilal Medha was defeated by BJP's Kalu Singh Thakur by a margin of 356 votes. Between Aug and Oct 2023, an addition of 7,649 voters was made. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
How Opposition's V-P pick once pulled up UPA govt over graft claims
In 2011, when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government was dealing with a raft of allegations related to corruption, it was pulled up by the Supreme Court for 'sleeping' on the issue of black money, and ordered to set up a special investigation team. Vice-Presidential Candidate & former Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy being Welcomed by MPs of Opposition Parties at Delhi airport in New Delhi on Tuesday. (HT PHOTO) One of the judges who passed that order, B Sudershan Reddy, 79, was on Tuesday named by the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties, in which the Congress is the largest constituent (by MPs), as its vice presidential candidate. That was one of the last orders of Reddy in the Supreme Court, where he was a judge between 2007 and 2011. An expert on the Constitution –– he has written a book on the Preamble –– and an admirer of both BR Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru, Reddy was born in an agricultural family on July 8, 1946 at Akula Mylaram village of Kandukur block in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana (then part of the princely state of Hyderabad). Reddy graduated in law from Osmania University in Hyderabad in 1971. He enrolled as an advocate and worked under senior advocate K Pratap Reddy. Having argued various cases in city civil courts in Hyderabad and later in the then combined high court of Andhra Pradesh, Reddy later became the government pleader on August 8, 1988 in the high court, arguing cases pertaining to the revenue department. He continued in the post till January 8, 1990. Reddy was elected as president of Andhra Pradesh high court advocates' association in 1993-94. He was elevated as the additional judge of the high court on May 2, 1995. And he was appointed as chief justice for Gauhati high court on December 5, 2005. On January 12, 2007, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India; he retired on July 8, 2011. Among his notable verdicts was one declaring Salwa Judum, a local militia propped up by the state government in Chhattisgarh to fight Maoists, as anti-constitutional. Along with justice SS Nijjar, he said arming civilians was 'unethical and dangerous' and was violative of Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 21 (Right to Life). After his retirement, he was appointed as the first Lokayukta of Goa in March 2013. He resigned from the post on personal grounds in October 2013. A staunch supporter of formation of separate Telangana, Reddy was an active participant in various movements in support of bifurcation. He also raised his voice in support of bifurcation of the combined Andhra Pradesh high court. Madabhushi Sridhar Acharyulu, former Central Information Commissioner, who has known Reddy for over three decades by virtue of his legal profession, having worked as a professor at NALSAR University of Law, said that as a judge, Reddy was deeply committed to the rule of law and he has dedicated his life to upholding constitutional values in the Indian democratic framework. 'Some judges have etched their names in history through their unwavering integrity, distinctive vision, and faith in democratic principles — justice B Sudarshan Reddy is one among them.'
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
A urea crisis in Telangana
Urea, a soil nutrient essential for plant growth, has become a political flashpoint between the Central government and the Telangana government. Given short supply, farmers are standing in queues outside fertilizer shops for hours, hoping to secure urea for their crops. While the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are blaming each other for the situation, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is blaming both. In February, the Ministry of Agriculture had allotted five types of fertilizers (urea, di-ammonium phosphate, muriate of potash, complex fertilizers, and single super phosphate) to Telangana. This included 9.8 lakh tonnes of urea for the Kharif season. While there has been little difference between demand and supply of other fertilizers, the gap regarding urea has become an issue. In an official communication, the Central government informed Telangana that it would receive 8.3 lakh tonnes of urea in the April-August period. However, the State received only 5.32 lakh tonnes till August 17. The Minister for Agriculture, Tummala Nageswara Rao, has blamed the Centre for the crisis, stating that it has failed to ensure supply. 'I have written separately to the Union Ministers for Agriculture and Chemicals and Fertilizers to supply the allotted quantity of urea. Officials of the Agriculture Department have also addressed letters to the Union Secretaries of Agriculture and Chemicals and Fertilizers, but in vain,' he said. Mr. Nageswara Rao accused the Centre of misleading Parliament by stating that an ample quantity of urea had been allotted to the State, claiming that it did not provide the supply numbers. Meanwhile the State unit president of the BJP, N. Ramchander Rao, alleged that the State government mismanaged supply. He claimed that the Centre had supplied Telangana more than the required amount. He accused the State administration of diversion, inefficiency, and black marketing. Mr. Ramchander Rao also demanded to know why the problem had cropped up only in Telangana. Mr. Nageswara Rao countered him saying Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Haryana, and Punjab were also facing urea scarcity due to the short supply of both indigenous and imported urea. The Congress also raised the issue in Parliament. While the Congress and the BJP are engaged in a war of words, the BRS has been meeting farmers at fertilizer shops and reminding them that they did not face such hassles during its regime. With the crisis escalating, Mr. Nageswara Rao wrote to the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, requesting him to supply at least 3 lakh tonnes of urea in August in addition to the 0.68 lakh tonnes supplied so far this month. Telangana, like many other States, has not received the required supplies of either the indigenous variety of urea or of the imported variety. Issues in domestic production are due to hurdles in imports of key raw materials and the rise in consumption of the soil nutrient. Issues in imports are due to export restrictions imposed by China. India also imports urea from Oman, Russia, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria, besides China. Imports vary from 15% to 30% of the total based on the local production in a year. India had aimed to end imports of urea by 2025 by enhancing local production. In 2022, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers said that new plants would be established. However, the goal remains a mirage. The estimated consumption of urea in 2025-26 is about 410 lakh tonnes, with an increase expected due to a rise in Kharif cultivation. Telangana's woes are compounded with problems in the operation of the Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals, where there was no production for 78 days from April due to technical glitches. Of the urea produced in India, Telangana gets most of its supply from the plant, which has a production capacity of 12.7 lakh tonnes per annum. Production of nano urea (liquid) is also yet to be scaled up in the country. Farmers have also not embraced nano urea yet, as it involves additional costs. With reports of China easing restrictions on exports to India, officials are hopeful that there will be no scarcity in the Rabi season. During the Kharif season, however, there is little hope of getting additional supply from overseas or increasing domestic capacity immediately.
