vijayawada l saturday l march 09, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION oN WOMEN’S DAY, GAS PRICES CUT, sUDHA mURTY NOMINATED TO rs Modi woos women voters by announcing `100 per cylinder price cut, nominates noted philanthropist Sudha Murty to the Rajya Sabha price cut seen as easing financial burden Second drop in prices in six months Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the reduction in LPG cylinder prices to mark Women’s Day will significantly ease the financial burden on millions of households across the country. On Sudha Murty, he said her presence in the Upper House is a powerful testament to Nari Shakti, exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping the nation’s destiny ■ ■ This is the second reduction in LPG prices in six months. Rates were slashed by `200 in August ahead of assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram Non-subsidised cooking gas price will be cut to `803 per cylinder in the national capital with effect from midnight of Friday/Saturday 33 CRORE DOMESTIC COOKING GAS USERS are there IN THE COUNTRY CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI No surprises as Rahul in first list from Wayanad, Tharoor T’puram P r eeth a N a i r @ New Delhi Much along expected lines, the Congress on Friday unveiled the first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with former party president Rahul Gandhi seeking a mandate from Kerala’s Wayanad for the second term. The other prominent names include former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel from Rajnandgaon, Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram and Congress general secretary K C Venugopal from Alappuzha. Announcing the names at a press conference in the capital, Venugopal said the party’s utmost priority is to dislodge the BJP government in the 2024 elections and win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Out of the 60 seats discussed by the Central Election Committee (CEC) on Thursday, 39 names were cleared for eight states. Of the 39 candidates, 15 belong to the general category and 24 from the SC, ST, OBC, and minority communities. Besides, 12 of them are under the age of 50, he said. While in Kerala the party has retained most of its sitting MPs except one, among the most watched contests would be in Wayanad, where Rahul will take on his INDIA bloc ally CPI’s Annie Raja. Rahul, who was previously an MP from Amethi, lost the seat in 2019 but Yellow party ‘unwilling’ to yield to BJP’s demand for 10 Lok Sabha and 13 Assembly seats P H a r ee s h @ Vijayawada Congress leaders K C Venugopal (centre), Ajay Maken (right) and Pawan Khera address a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Friday | PTI won from Wayanad. The other top contest will be between Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Shashi Tharoor, who is seeking a fourth term from Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala will see three of Congress’ high-profile leaders Rahul, Venugopal and Tharoor in the fray. Sources said the decision to field Venugopal No word on Amethi Though speculation is rife over Rahul’s candidature from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s from Rae Bareli, Venugopal declined comment. “The second CEC meeting on March 11 will discuss more seats,” he said was to reclaim Alappuzha, the only seat it lost to the CPI (M) in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. As a sitting Rajya Sabha MP , Venugopal has two more years to complete his term. His decision to enter the Lok Sabha fray comes at a time when the BJP needs only a few more seats for getting majority in the RS. In Karnataka, the Congress retained Deputy CM D K Shivkumar’s brother D K Suresh in Bangalore Rural. No names have been announced for the Kalburgi seat amid speculation that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will contest from there. Four candidates from Telangana including former Union minister Balram Naik (Mahabubabad) also figured in the first list. Fishermen in K’nada village protest against pipeline in sea E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kakinada A Delhi police sub inspector seen kicking a person offering namaz on a road in Inderlok area in the national capital on Friday | pti SI suspended for kicking men for praying on road u j w a l j a l a l i @ New Delhi A Delhi police sub inspector (SI) on Friday was suspended for kicking and shoving a few persons, who were offering namaz on a road in north Delhi’s Inderlok area. The incident occurred around 2 pm near Inderlok Metro Station. A sizable gathering had assembled at a mosque in the neighbourhood as it was Friday, resulting in some men spilling to the street to offer prayers. An alleged video of the incident went viral on social media triggering outrage among netizens. Following the incident, the locality remained tense for several hours with the approach road to the mosque blocked by protesters for traffic. The administration deployed paramilitary personnel in conjunction with the police to prevent any TDP-JSP-BJP alliance almost a done deal, but no consensus on seats yet breakdown of the law and order situation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Manoj Kumar Meena said the protesters dispersed after they were shown the suspension order of the SI, Manoj Kumar Tomar. The blocked roads were then reopened. Necessary disciplinary action is also being taken against the Tomar, Meena added. The news of the officer’s suspension was announced through the mosque’s mike, he added. Following the incident, strict surveillance was imposed on the northeast district of Delhi, which had experienced communal unrest in 2020. Political parties across party line condemned the incident. National Conference chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said such actions by the police sow the seeds of fear, not safety . Ongoing protests over the alleged release of industrial chemicals into the sea in Kakinada district turned violent on Friday with the local fishermen of Konapapapeta in U Kothapalli mandal setting a couple of fishing boats on fire and staging a road blockade. Fishermen of four villages under Ponnada Panchayat have been protesting against the pipeline laid by Aurobindo Pharma in the sea. They alleged that the company has been releasing chemicals into the sea which is resulting loss of marine life. The villagers, dependent on fishing for a living, have been losing their income. The fishermen said they have submitted a representation to the district administration several times, but in vain. However, the company representatives maintained that the pipelines are being used to draw water, which is used after desalination. The Pollution Control Board officials, too, said the firm has not commenced its operations and that the allegations of the fishermen were baseless. On Friday a fishermen gath, ered in the village and blocked traffic on both the sides of the village. A couple of them even doused themselves with petrol threatening to end their lives, if the pipeline is not removed. Police, however, pacified them. U Kothapalli mandal Tahsildar Sundar Raju said the matter would be resolved on Saturday . The tripartite alliance between the TDP JSP and BJP that was , finalised, in principle, on Thursday night made no headway on Friday as the leaders of the three parties are yet to come t o a c o n s e n s u s o n s e at sharing. TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan stayed put in New Delhi on Friday, waiting for a call from the BJP leadership to cut ice. They flew to the national capital on Thursday and held talks with BJP national presi- dent JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where the TDP reportedly expressed its readiness to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The duo is likely to hold discussions with the BJP leadership again on Saturday . BJP AP State president Daggubati Purandeswari, who was in New Delhi, reached Hyderabad on Friday night as she is scheduled to attend a public meeting, which will be addressed by former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in Nellore on Saturday . Sources in the State BJP unit said the party had initially put a proposal for 10 Lok Sabha and 13 Assembly seats. A senior leader told TNIE, “We are ready to settle for less Assembly seats, but will insist for at least six to seven Lok Sabha seats.” He pointed out that the saffron party was able to get a good share of MP seats in all other States where it was striking an alliance. Citing an example, he said, Setback for Congress as I-T tribunal refuses to free up funds in banks PR E E T H A N AIR @ New Delhi IN a setback to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on Friday rejected its plea to lift the restrictions clamped on its bank accounts by the I-T department in connection with a tax dispute. The I-T tribunal also rejected the request of senior advocate and Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha to keep the order in abeyance for 10 days so that the party can approach the Delhi High Court for relief. The Congress has alleged its main bank accounts were frozen on February 16 following an income tax demand of `210 crore (`135 crore and `75 crore in two separate notices) for assessment year 2018-19 and alleged discrepancies and delays in tax returns. It has also accused the taxmen of withdrawing `65 crore from its accounts. Speaking to this newspaper, Vivek Tankha said the party will move the HC soon. “We are disappointed with the order of the tribunal. They have denied us the standard order. We are a national party and The tax department’s action is politically motivated. We have given logical and reasonable points to the tribunal but they did not accept them. They took away our exemption under 29C for a delay of 20 days or something (in filing tax returns). Vivek Tankha, Rajya Sabha MP we very well argued our case,” he said, adding that the freeze on funds has put the party at a disadvantage in the election season. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal had earlier allowed Congress to operate the accounts till a final decision was reached. However, it also put a lien of `115 crore on the accounts, which means that much money is frozen and the party can access only the remaining funds. Describing the tax department’s action as ‘politically motivated’, Tankha said: “We’ve given logical and reasonable points to the tribunal but they did not accept them. They took away our exemption under 29C for a delay of 20 days or something (in filing tax returns). But I’m still an income tax payee. I have an income of `199 crore and an expenditure of `197 crore. So the total tax component would be only `60 lakh. Instead of that they are forcing over `135 crore,” he said. He also stressed that now only constitutional courts can rescue elections, democracy, and political parties. “In Odisha, where there are 21 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP is likely to get 15 seats and the ruling BJD is settling for six. If this is the case in a State where the alliance partner is in ruling, we can negotiate for more seats in Andhra Pradesh too.” He further observed that the TDP is also in need of forging an alliance to take on the YSRC. In 2014, the BJP, in an alliance with the TDP had contest, ed nearly 12 MLA and four MP seats. JSP was a part of the alliance, too, but did not contest P4 the elections. e x p r e ss r e a d SBI’s plea on electoral bonds in SC on Monday New Delhi: The Supreme Court would hear on March 11, the plea filed by the SBI seeking extension of time till June 30 to give details of all electoral bonds encashed from April 2019 onwards. The SC will also hear the contempt plea filed by ADR (Association of Democratic Reforms) on the same day against the SBI. A five-judge bench, led by CJI DY Chandrachud, would hear on Monday the plea of the State Bank on India | P7 Army to raise two Pinaka regiments New Delhi: The Indian Army is set to significantly enhance its longrange offensive artillery capabilities along the LAC with China by raising two new regiments of Pinaka Multi Launch Rocket Systems. These long-range vectors, designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will deliver a high volume of firepower precisely into enemy territory | P7 YSRC names in-charges for 1 Assembly, 2 LS seats E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada YSRC on Friday appointed coordinators for Kurnool and Amalapuram parliamentary constituencies, and Razole Assembly seat. With former minister Gummanur Jayaram, who represents Alur Assembly segment, quitting the YSRC after being appointed as the coordinator for Kurnool MP seat, the ruling party has chosen Kurnool Mayor BY Ramaiah for the segment. Jayaram had expressed his interest to retain Alur. However, when his request was denied, he resigned from the YSRC and joined the TDP . Earlier, Kurnool sitting MP Dr S Sanjeev Kumar had quit the YSRC following the party’s decision to replace him. While Dr Kumar belongs to the Padmashali community, the party wanted to give the seat to a Valmiki leader and chose Jayaram. Ramaiah, who is the YSRC district president, also hails from the dominant Valmiki community . The YSRC appointed Razole MLA Rapaka Varaprasad as the coordinator of Amalapuram SC-reserved Lok Sabha seat. This has raised questions if sitting MP Chinta Anuradha would be shifted to P Gannavaram Assembly segment in Konaseema district as it is the only seat left. Varaprasad had won Razole seat on JSP’s ticket and later shifted his loyalty to the YSRC. Former minister Gollapalli Surya Rao has been appointed as Razole Assembly seat in-charge. Surya Rao quit the TDP after it was announced that JSP would contest the seat. shivaratri fervour Saparam Vahana procession taken out during Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavams of Srikalahasteeswara temple in Srikalahasti on Friday | Madhav K Ex-CRPF cop assures jobs to youth, swindles `3 cr E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Visakhapatnam A former CRPF constable and his partner were arrested on Friday for duping 60 youngsters of `3 crore by promising them railways jobs. The accused were identified as Hanumanthu Ramesh and his alleged girlfriend Praveena. The City Task Force Police will hand over the duo to Pendurthi police for further probe. Elaborating on the case de- tails, a police officer of the Task Force said Ramesh, a native of Sekharapuram in Meliaputti mandal of Srikakulam district, swindled the youngsters by posing as TwoTow n S I . H e w a s recruited as a constable of CRPF. While serving in Jammu and Kashmir, he was suspended and later removed from service reportedly due to a long leave of absence. Following his removal, he moved to Visakhapatnam and began living in Pendurthi. However, he introduced himself as a police officer and even wore a uniform to make people believe him. Later, he got married to a woman, identified as Lalitha. He allegedly had an extra-marital affair with his sister-in-law, Saritha. Explaining his modus operandi, the officer said Ramesh approached local unemployed youth and promised to help them get jobs, stating that he has contacts with railway officials. About 15 gullible youth believed his word and paid him `12 lakh to `15 lakh each, hoping to get jobs. The accused allegedly also handed over forged appointment letters to the youth. In his efforts to ensure that the youth did not doubt him, Ramesh even took them to Secunderabad DRM office under the pretext of a training P4 programme.
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