Axe on Nani a lesson to selfish politicos: Raavi

Gudivada (Krishna): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Gudivada constituency in-charge Raavi Venkateswara Rao hailed Assembly Speaker Nadendla for disqualifying his b�te noire and local MLA Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani). Axing Nani for defying TDP whip during no-confidence motion on March 16 was a lesson for selfish politicos, he said. Addressing the media at party office here on Sunday, Mr. Raavi said that the disqualification was the right punishment for politicians like Nani ``who ignored people's welfare for personal gains.'' It was a fitting lesson for selfish leaders who breach the trust of people after elected to legislative bodies, he said. Mr. Raavi, the former Gudivada MLA, said he would launch an extensive campaign in the constituency to garner support of the people to defeat Nani in the next elections. Nani had failed to develop the constituency during the last nine years. The people would be briefed on the development achieved during his (Raavi) tenure, he said.

YSRCP criticises Speaker The town unit of YSR Congress Party came to the rescue of the disqualified MLA and criticised Speaker Nadendla Manohar for axing Nani who switched loyalties to the party. Addressing the newsmen here, party steering committee member Mandali Hanumantha Rao said that Nani would have been re-elected with a majority of 60,000 votes had the Speaker disqualified him earlier. The delayed disqualification was an attempt to avoid the MLA's re-election, he said.

Chinnam refuses to comment Nuzivid (Krishna): Nuzivid MLA Chinnam Ramakotaiah on Sunday declined to comment on Speaker Nadendla's decision to delay action against him. He was one of the three MLAs against whom a decision of disqualification was pending. When a reporter sought to know whether Chinnam's disqualification was delayed because of his proximity to the Congress, the MLA refused to give a reply. He said that he was leaving it (talk over Speaker's indecision) to the discretion of his critics. "My case is pending. It will be appropriate to respond after the judgement," he said. He said he was not in the habit of talking anything to satisfy somebody.