"ponguleti-srinivas-reddy"

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka directed officials to focus on increasing revenue collections without giving scope for any leakages.

The Congress candidate for Khammam Lok Sabha got elected with a never before majority of 4, 67, 652 votes in the history of the Lok Sabha polls.

On Thursday, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy chaired a meeting at Secretariat to discuss the release of State song, besides proposed changes in the State emblem and Telangana Talli statue.

The physical and technical aspects of each barrage would be studied by two of the organisations identified.

Already 36 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was procured and unlike in the past within three days, the amount was deposited into the farmers’ accounts, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy told the media after the Cabinet meeting here.

The Chief Minister spoke to heads of different departments in this regard from the Secretariat here on Thursday.

The Cabinet will also deliberate on issues pertaining to the crop loan waiver for farmers, ongoing paddy procurement and also preparations for the upcoming Kharif crop season.

Ministers Bhatti Vikramarka, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Tummala Nageswara Rao cast their votes in their respective polling stations in Khammam district on Monday.

Raghuram Reddy’s younger son Arjun Reddy and his wife Sapni Reddy - the daughter of minister Srinivas Reddy, film actor Venkatesh’s daughter Ashritha who happens to be the daughter-in-law of Raghuram Reddy are also campaigning in Khammam

It might be noted two sets of nominations for the seat were filed on Tuesday on behalf of Raghuram Reddy in his absence by the party leaders.

With family members of three ministers and some others aspiring for the ticket, the party leadership is finding it difficult to choose a nominee.

Apart from Khammam, the Congress party is yet to announce candidates for Karimnagar and Hyderabad constituencies.

Speaking to the party cadre here on Saturday, the Minister said that since 29 days were left for Parliament elections, the cadres and leaders have to make committed efforts for the victory of the yet to be announced candidate.

The BRS working president said phone tapping is part of many surveillance methods adopted by the police to avert threats from terrorists and extremists.

The selection of the Congress Khammam Lok Sabha candidate has turned out to be an unending saga with a new name coming up for consideration for the ticket every few days.

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy took the initiative of convincing Bhadrachalam MLA Tellam Venkat Rao to quit the BRS and join the Congress.

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy offered him the party scarf and formally invited him into the Congress.

Dismissing reports about him getting involved with the BJP and emerging as the next Chief Minister after Parliament elections, he said these were mere speculations.

During the meeting, the BRS MLA urged the Chief Minister to release funds for executing different development works in the constituency. To this effect, he also submitted a representation to the Chief Minister.

The first phase to see 3,500 houses being approved in each Assembly constituency in Telangana