Shri T. Manemma

Friday, July 3, 2009

Health cards for poor from July

Fresh ration cards will also be issued from July 5

Doctors/hospitals refusing to treat Rajiv Arogyasri beneficiaries face jail
Palm oil and red gram would be sold through ration shops

HYDERABAD: The Rajiv Arogyasri cards providing free medical treatment worth Rs. 2 lakh under the comprehensive health insurance scheme for white card holders will be issued from July 19 onwards, said the Minister for Minorities Welfare, Coal and Energy Mohd. Ali Shabbir on Wednesday.

Participating in the Praja Patham programme at Gulshannagar in Musheerabad, he said the scheme was postponed in the twin cities because of bypolls and all the 6.5 lakh white ration card holders in the district would be issued with the health cards.

“With these cards the poor can go to any hospital of their choice to get treatment for chronic diseases of heart, kidneys, cancer and others. Any doctor refusing to treat a patient with the health card will go to jail,” he declared.

People thanked

New ration cards would also be issued from July 5 onwards for those yet to get them. Mr. Shabbir said the Government was supplying Rs. 2-a-kilo and from next month, palm oil would be sold at Rs. 45 and red gram at Rs. 30-a-kilo at all ration shops.

He pointed out that the government also did not let the recent hike in diesel and gas affect the consumers by absorbing the Rs. 125 crore “burden”. He and his colleague Mukesh Goud thanked the locals for electing the party candidate T. Manemma during the recent bypoll.

“You have elected our candidate and we are beholden to fulfil all the promises made. While pensions will be given, infrastructure works like roads and sewers will take time,” said Mr. Goud. About 34,834 new pensions for the old, destitute, widows and physically challenged would be given to the eligible persons. This would be in addition to the current 70,000 pensions being given at Rs. 200 a month.

Health camp

Collector Navin Mittal said a mega health camp will be held to identify poor people already suffering from different ailments and they too would be given the health cards as a special gesture. The Ministers laid the foundation stone for a new water pipeline at a cost of Rs. 12 lakh.

Around 250 households would get water once the project is completed in a month. MLA T. Manemma and Greater Congress chief D. Nagender, were present.

YSR unveils Anjaiah's statue at Lumbini Park

The park will henceforth be called T. Anjaiah Lumbini Park

The site was selected by Anjaih's wife T. Manemma and Khairatabad MLA P. Janardhan Reddy

Buddha Purnima Project Authority was conceptualised during Anjaiah's tenure, says YSR

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy unveiled the statue of former Chief Minister late T. Anjaiah at Lumbini Park, opposite Secretariat, here on Wednesday.

Addressing an impressive gathering of Congress workers and leaders besides late Anjaiah's followers, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy said the Lumbini Park was also renamed as T. Anjaiah Lumbini Park as tribute to the leader who always had interest of the poor at his heart.

The efforts to install the statue of Anjaiah bore fruit after about 20 years and when T. Manemma Anjaiah and MLA P. Janardhan Reddy selected the site at Lumbini Park for the statue, it was finalised as the appropriate choice. It was under the tenure of late Anjaiah, Buddha Purnima Project Authority was conceptualised, he recalled.

Recalling the services of late Anjaiah for the poor, Dr. Reddy said Anjaiah had striven sincerely to fulfil late Indira Gandhi's call for `Garibi Hatao'.

Hyderabad proves a point, it is not part of so called "T"

The Telangana sentiment took severe beating in the city. Voters of this cosmopolis clearly rejected the ‘T’ sentiment as the TRS lost all three seats, two by sitting MLAs. It was reduced to third position at the hustings. This is the second consecutive major defeat for the TRS in the city after it drew a blank result in the recently-held polls to Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB).

All its candidates, including two sitting ward members from a total of eight wards in SCB, were defeated. In the bypolls held to the three Assembly constituencies in the city, TRS candidate, Mohd Khaja Arifuddin, lost his deposit. Congress candidate, Mr P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, son of late P. Janardhan Reddy, created a record by winning the seat by a majority of 1,96,269 votes. Mr Vishnuvardhan Reddy polled 2,54,676 votes followed by Mr K. Srinivasa Rao of Lok Satta (58,407 votes) and Mohd Khaja Arifuddin of TRS (54,134 votes). His victory was the second highest-ever margin in an Assembly poll in the country.

In Secunderabad constituency, Mr Talasani Srinivas Yadav of TD defeated his nearest rival Mr Pitla Krishna of Congress by 18,067 votes. Mr T. Padma Rao, sitting MLA of TRS, was placed third and polled 28,256 votes as against 50,031 by Mr Yadav and 31,964 by Mr Krishna.

In Musheerabad, Congress candidate, Ms T. Manemma, defeated Dr K. Laxman of BJP by 2,075 votes. Mr Nayani Narasimha Reddy, the sitting legislator from TRS, came third. He polled 19,867 votes compared to 34,795 by Ms Manemma and 32,720 by Dr Laxman. Despite all measures taken by the party president, TRS has been wiped out in the city segments

Scene of intense political fights

Musheerabad constituency has seen intense political battles and it reflects in the small winning margins. Congress candidate T. Manemma won the seat in the byelections last year with a majority of just over 2,000 votes, while TRS leader Nayani Narsimha Reddy won it with a margin of just over 200 votes in 2004. The loser in those two elections was K. Lakshman of the BJP, who was the sitting MLA in 2004.

Dr. K. Lakshman - BJP

Why should people vote for you?

Developmental works taken up during my term will work to my advantage. Roads were laid even in small lanes which people continue to remember. Never an MLA was as accessible as I was and voters realise this after seeing the MLAs of TRS and Congress. Slums were totally neglected by this government and this constituency has considerable slum population that still fondly remembers the development done during my term.

I represent a national party that promotes national unity and not just their kin. It is time to reject parties that have only helped the organisations promote religious fanaticism.

What are you advantages?
I am young while my opponents – Manemma from Congress and Nayani Narsimha Reddy from TRS are more than 70 years in age. Moreover, Ms Manemma could gain only 2,000 votes majority in the last elections . Mr. Narsimha Reddy was never available for the local people. TDP activists will not extend their support to him as they have been eyeing the seat.
Who is your main opponent?
Both are very weak. While there is wide resentment against Mr. Narsimha Reddy, Ms. Manemma has not done anything for the constituency .
T. Manemma – Congress
Why should people vote for you?
They should support me for the continuation of the welfare measures of the Government that touched every segment. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has introduced some historic welfare programmes like Rajiv Arogyasri and pensions to various sections were enhanced like never before. The number of beneficiaries has increased with every eligible person getting the benefit.
I have taken up works worth Rs. 13 crore in the last one year and no MLA earlier had spent so much money in the constituency. People have no complaints against me or the Government, so they should vote for me.
What are your advantages?
I have been an MP twice, covering this constituency and people remember the work I did. I carry the legacy of former Chief Minister T.Anjaiah and people still remember him and see me as his representative. There is no groupism in the party and every activist is working for my success. Being a woman helps the women of this constituency to approach me directly for their grievances.
Who is your main opponent?
To be frank there is no strong opposition. Mr. Narsimha Reddy is a spent force while Mr. Lakshman’s influence is neutralised with the development.
Nayani Narsimha Reddy – TRS
Why should people vote for you?
They must vote for me for the cause of Telangana. I represent a party that was born for creation of Telangana and which ensured that people of this region were looked upon with some respect. I have been working for the Telangana cause for the last several decades. I represented the constituency several times from different parties and I have taken up several developmental works during my career.
People are suffering under the rule of the Congress Government and this reflects in high prices of essential commodities. The Chief Minister has sold Telangana lands and the beneficiaries are his own men. TRS is the only party that can serve the interests of this region and check Congress.
What are your advantages?
My close association with locals here for the last several decades is my biggest advantage. I have been active in the trade unions and industries located here and know people personally. Corruption in the Congress regime and poor image of the Congress candidate will help me. I have the support of Grand Alliance parties.
Who is your main opponent?
I am way ahead of my rivals. With TDP and Communist parties forming the Grand Alliance there is no rival factor here.

Musheerabad set for tough battle

In the by-polls last year, T Manemma of the Congress barely sailed through to win the Musheerabad assembly constituency. Eight months later, her popularity hasn’t improved and she is having a tough time with voters.

In the last election, Manemma, wife of former chief minister T Anjaiah, won over BJP’s K Laxman. Most major parties have fielded the same candidates who had contested the by-polls. Only the CPM candidate S Veeraiah is out as the Mahakutami alliance allotted it to TRS, represented by former MLA Nayani Narasimha Reddy. Rohit Kumar represents Lok Satta. The Prajarajyam Party (PRP) has fielded P V Ashok Kumar here.

Interestingly, the traders here are up in arms against both Manemma and Narsimha Reddy due to proposals of massive road widening in Musheerabad and Kavadiguda. “Nearly 300 shops between Musheerabad to Chikkadpally will be affected by road widening, yet neither of them has responded to us,” said C Rajesh Kumar, a shopkeeper at Musheerabad.

Though Manemma claims to have spent Rs 13 crore on developing the constituency in the last eight months, voters like pan shop owner B Mallesh of Musheerabad say that she is inaccessible. “She visited our colony only during the last elections; even MP Anjan Kumar Yadav was not seen here in the last five years,” Mallesh said.

Meanwhile BJP’s K Laxman is targeting middle class colonies with door-todoor campaigns in Gandhinagar, Bakaram and Chikkadpally. “The Congress government burdened flat owners by collecting an extra Rs 125 per flat towards water charges. I will see that this is stopped,” Laxman told a flat owner of Surabhi apartments at Bakaram.

The BJP nominee is however worried about splitting of anti-Congress votes. Laxman lost by a margin of 2075 votes in the bypolls, trailing behind Congress candidate Manemma who secured 34,795 votes. Lok Satta’s Rohit Kumar got 6000 votes.

BJP nominee Laxman believes he lost the May 2008 by-election because most of the educated and employed, usually considered a vote bank of BJP, went in favour of the young entrepreneur Rohit Kumar of Lok Satta. However the BJP is strong in the Kavadiguda, Jawaharnagar, Vidyanagar and Domalguda municipal divisions, and has several corporators from the last municipal elections. But one Vidyanagar corporator quit BJP and joined TRS, boosting the confidence of Narsimha Reddy who thinks this will add to the TRS vote bank, and CPM and TDP strength.

Nayani Narsimha Reddy thinks he lost the by-election because the CPM candidate had supported the TDP then. In 2004, he won because the TRS had allied with the Congress party. This time, both the TDP and CPM are supporting the TRS.

All candidates agree that the sizeable Muslim votes in areas like Gulshan Nagar, Tajer Nagar and Siddiqui Nagar could go the Congress way. And this could make a big difference.

CONSTITUENCY PROFILE
Total voters: 2,24,594 |
Male voters: 1,17,285 | Female voters: 1,07,309

Segments under this constituency: Musheerabad, Bakaram, Azamabad, Baghlingampalli, Chikkadpally, Ashok Nagar, Kavadiguda, Bholakpur, Adikmet, Domalguda, Anjaiahnagar, Kavadiguda, Ranga Nagar, Zamistanpur, Bakaram, Nallakunta, Jawaharnagar, Lower Tank Bund locality, Gandhi Nagar and Old Nallakunta

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy offering sweets to T. Manemma after her victory on Sunday.

Defeats BJP’s K. Laxman by 2,075 votes

Congress candidate Manemma polls 34,795 votes, BJP’s Laxman gets 32,720
Incumbent Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLA
N. Narasimha Reddy polls 19,867 votes

— PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Celebration Time: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy offering sweets to T. Manemma after her victory on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: The Congress regained the Musheerabad Assembly seat after a gap of two terms when party candidate T. Manemma trounced BJP’s K. Laxman with a margin of 2,075 votes in the byelection held on Thursday.

In a keenly contested poll, Ms. Manemma polled 34,795 votes as against 32,720 by Mr. Laxman. The incumbent Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) legislator Nayini Narasimha Reddy came a poor third securing 19,867 votes. CPI (M) candidate S. Veeraiah, who fought the election with the support of TDP, polled 16,618 votes. At total of 1,11, 326 valid votes were cast and nine votes were rejected.

Neck-and-neck

Counting for the bypoll held on Sunday saw a neck-and-neck race between the Congress and the BJP candidates.

In fact Mr. Laxman established an early lead from the first round itself and led over his immediate rival till the sixth round by a slender margin.

However, in the seventh round, Ms. Manemma turned the tables and forged ahead establishing a lead of 1,646 votes.

In the next round also she kept ahead but in the 9th round her lead dropped by 243 votes. From then onwards it was close fight between the two.Though Mr. Laxman kept chipping into his rival’s lead in the 12th, 13th and 14th rounds, he never really overtook her. The tense race ended in the 17th round with Ms. Manemma racing ahead and finishing off by 2,075 votes.

A jubilant Manemma, who arrived at the Amberpet indoor stadium where the counting took place, termed her victory as a triumph of people. She gave the credit to the development works taken up by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and her late husband T. Anjaiah. She also thanked M. Mukesh Goud (Minister), Anjan Kumar Yadav (MP), D. Nagender, president, Greater Hyderabad City Congress, for working for her victory.Mr. Narasimha Reddy charged the Congress with luring the electorate with money and liquor. The police worked as Congress volunteers, he alleged.

The BJP too resorted to the same tactics. Besides, all its front organisations concentrated in Musheerabad. Otherwise, it would not have got even the votes it secured now, he said.

Mr. Veeraiah of the CPI (M) said it was not the Congress but money power which had won in the election.

Source : The Hindu.