KCR to seek PM's intervention in Bayyaram mining issue

• Threatens to intensify agitation A

• Ex-IAS officer joins TRS

Hyderabad: TRS president K Chandrasekhara Rao on Sunday announced that he will write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention to cancel the lease of Bayyaram iron ore mines. He wants the government to set up a steel plant in the Telangana region to utilise the raw materials locally and generate employment for the local youth.

Speaking on the sidelines of the joining of retired IAS officer and government advisor to state cultural affairs KV Ramanachary into his party at Telangana Bhavan here, he said that his party will take up a signature campaign against the lease by going to every door in the region before making a representation to the Prime Minister.

"The people of Telangana have every right on the mines and only they can enjoy the fruits of the mines. How can the government allot the mines to a factory located in Coastal Andhra when the people of the region were deprived of jobs and livelihoods?" he questioned.

Stating that he had participated actively in 'Visakha Ukku -Andhra Hakku' movement and succeeded in getting jobs for the people then, the TRS leader pointed out that among the total, 3 per cent of employees were only appointed from Telangana in the steel factory.

In an attack on TDP, Rao claimed that it was his party that had launched an agitation against the leasing of mines to Rakshana Steel, allegedly owned by the former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy's relatives in 2007 and succeeded in protecting the mines from the clutches of the Seemandhra capitalists. He pooh-poohed TDP's claim that the Telugu Desam had taken up the fight against mining lease inside the Parliament at the national level.

Ramanachary joins TRS

Hyderabad: Retired IAS official and Advisor to State Cultural Affairs KV Ramanachary has been inducted as the TRS politburo member soon after he joined the party in the presence of party chief K Chandrasekhara Rao here on Sunday.

Ending speculation on his foray into State politics, the retired bureaucrat surprised all at the TRS head office in Telangana Bhavan in the afternoon on Sunday and took the party membership from the TRS president. Ramanachary took voluntary retirement from civil services when he was the Principal Secretary to State Endowments department last year. He was appointed as the advisor in May, 2012.

News doing rounds in the party is that the bureaucrat turned politician will contest in the 2014 general elections from Medak Parliamentary constituency if all goes well within the party.

TDP condemns KCR's comments A on Naidu

Hyderabad: Taking strong exception to the allegations made against TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu by TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, the party on Sunday admonished KCR not to make such derogatory remarks again and getting personal.

Talking to the newsmen, TDP senior leader M Narasimhulu condemned KCR's comments against Naidu and said that the TRS leader stooped too low by targeting Naidu on his physical status. It was the TRS party chief who mortgaged Telangana movement at the feet of Congress high command for political gains, he alleged.

He further questioned KCR for maintaining silence over the suicides committed by 1,000 youth for the cause of Telangana. KCR's aim was to amass wealth and lucrative positions in the government, he added. Narasimhulu said, "KCR has no right to criticise the TDP which won over 40 seats in Telangana, whereas it could win only 10 seats in 2009 election."