President dodges Telangana query

Indian political parties do learn lessons from the people’s mandate and do a mid-course correction as was evident from the fact that the country has seen stable governments for the past decade and a half despite fractured mandates, said President Pranab Mukherjee, during an informal chat with reporters on his return from Allahabad on Wednesday

“There is an unwritten understanding among parties since 1999 that stability in governance should not be disturbed,” he said.

The President shared his views on wide ranging issues like the strength of Indian democracy, the lessons people teach to political parties, simplicity of elected representatives, the changing trends in elections, advent of social media and the power of language and art in uniting people.

Asked whether the people of Andhra Pradesh would be relieved of uncertainty in the new year, the President replied diplomatically: “As I said, in our democracy, people and political parties address and resolve all issues.”

Referring to the country facing elections five times between 1989 and 1999 instead of three, the President said a section of people, including the media, strongly advocated Constitutional changes to ensure stability.

The President averred that several Chief Ministers and ministers had practised the highest levels of austerity and simplicity in the past. They lived in two-bed room flats and ran the administration for a long time. Even election expenditure was kept to a minimum.

“All that the candidates did was to follow a designated party worker in a car sent by the party and address people wherever they were told to,” he recalled.

The President’s observations gained significance in the backdrop of Aam Admi Party making big news out of its leader Aravind Kejriwal refusing official bungalows for him and his ministers.

Asked how he is preparing for an eventful year ahead when the country goes in for a general election, Mukherjee said he believes democracy will always win in the end.

“Some political parties may win and some may lose but it is always democracy that stands winner. In the latest round of elections in Chhattisgarh, people voted in large numbers despite Maoists giving a boycott call,” he said.

The President has also found a welcoming development in the increasing vote percentage, which he says is a reflection of people’s faith in the system.

About one per cent of voters exercising the ‘none of the above’ option in the latest  elections, he said, “It is one form of expression and I am sure political parties will learn lessons from it and change accordingly.”

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I will strive hard to keep Andhra Pradesh 'united': Kiran Kumar Reddy

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said here today that he would strive hard to keep Andhra Pradesh "united", at a public grievances and mass contact programme here today.
"I will fight to keep the state united until the last. The central government should honour sentiments of the people of all regions in an equal manner," he said.
He would strongly oppose bifurcation of the state during his meeting with the Group of Ministers in New Delhi later this month, he said, adding that he is not bothered about the Chief Minister's post.
"I am not worried about my post. I will stand for a united state. The Centre should reconsider its decision on bifurcation of the state. The state will not develop if it is divided. Both the states have to suffer a lot. Maoist menace will increase in both the regions if it is divided," he said.
He said that the Telangana region would suffer more than the Seemandhra region after bifurcation of the state. He said the at present the state spends Rs 43,000 crore on government employees' salaries and pensions every year and after bifurcation both states would have to increase this by another 50 per cent.
"It is better to keep the state united for the sake of the people and for over all development of the state," he said.

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Krish 3 does super business in Andhra Pradesh

Hrithik Roshan’s superhero flick, ‘Krish 3′, is getting ready for its release across the world this Friday. The movie is doing some very good pre-release business across all territories. Even in a predominantly Telugu market like Andhra Pradesh, the film has been picked up for very good prices.

Sources say that the film’s total pre-release business in AP is around 8 – 9 Crores, with Nizam alone accounting for almost half of that amount. This is a very good number for a non Telugu hero. Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut will be seen as the female leads in this movie while Vivek Oberoi is playing the negative role.

Rakesh Roshan has directed this big budget offering.

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Balayya’s political Jhalak to Boyapati

Nandamuri Balakrishna is not only an important star hero in Tollywood but soon he will also play a key role in the political scenario of Andhra Pradesh. There is a strong talk that Balayya is going to contest in the 2014 elections. But with the recent developments in the state, it looks like there might be a change in his plans also.

And this is already showing in his ongoing film. This is being directed by Boyapati Srinu and till recently it was reported that the film will have a lot of political punch dialogues targeting the rivals of TDP. But now it is heard that Balayya has given a Jhalak to Boyapati regarding the script and dialogues.

There are reports that Balayya made it very clear there must be no political dialogues in the film and it must be completely an action entertainer. To give a consolation, few punch dialogues based on Nandamuri family and ‘Vamsam’ are being included. We have to see how this change will affect the film.

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