Did Kiran lifts Chiru's scheme for poor?

HYDERABAD: Has the announcement of another populist scheme, Amma Hastham, by chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy widened the rift between him and Union minister Chiranjeevi?

The mega star's confidants say the scheme, which supplies a basket of nine essential commodities to the poor at a cheaper price, is a copy of 'Vanda Rupayalake Vanta Sarukulu' scheme announced by Chiranjeevi during the 2009 polls.

As Kiran did not mention Chiranjeevi's name during the launch of this programme on Ugadi day, the star is said to be unhappy. He did not even invite Chiranjeevi to the launching programme. Chiru followers are now fuming at the CM.

If anyone asks chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to list out all the welfare schemes being implemented by his government, it could be a difficult task for him.

Kiran, who is showering more sops on voters with each passing day, appears to be at a loss to recall all those freebies. While participating in Jyothi Rao Phule birth anniversary celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi the other day, Kiran was seen struggling to list out the sops.

Ministers and officials present there tried to rescue their boss by prompting him on the schemes. Kiran is not single in this; even TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, who is promising the moon to every section of voters during his padayatra, is depending on prompting to recall his numerous promises.

Mega Star's new movie steps?

The world tourism meet seems to have provided an opportunity to Chiranjeevi to test his dance fitness. For his 150th film? The Union minister of state for tourism surprised ministers and foreign delegates by spinning to music on Saturday.

Then entertainment was organised for foreign delegates at Shilparamam, some students performed dances. Chiranjeevi too went onto the stage and gyrated for a while with them.

The buzz in Congress circles is that Chiranjeevi, who has tirelessly globe-trotted in his ministerial avatar soon after assuming office, has picked locations for his 150th movie in various countries. Now that he has tested his fitness for dancing, will his 150th flick go to sets soon?

PT at Public Meetings

Kiran Kumar Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu seem to be vying with each other to give some exercise to people on a mass scale. Naidu, during his walkathon, frequently asks the crowd at public meetings to raise their hands.

He poses a few tag questions to establish his claim that people in the state are vexed with Kiran's rule. He makes people raise their hands in support of his claim that he had developed the state during his regime. Kiran Reddy is also adopting a similar approach to strike a chord with the public. During his public meetings, he too asks questions and encourages people to raise hands to answer his questions on welfare schemes.

Political plagiarism?

Information minister DK Aruna embarked on a bus yatra in her native Mahbubnagar district on Sunday. She christened it 'Prajala Kosam Congress Prabhutvam'.

Does it bring to mind Chandrababu Naidu's 'Prajala Vaddaku Paalana' when he was chief minister and his present 'Vasthunna Mee Kosam' padayatra?

Well, Chandrababu's son Lokesh is already accusing the Congress of copying his father's schemes. He can now further sharpen his attack on the ruling party. Joining chorus with his son, Naidu too started accusing the Congress of lifting the concepts conceived by the TDP.

Naidu, who alleged that his 'direct cash transfer scheme' has been copied by the UPA, is now claiming that even the SC/ST sub-plan has been his idea.

Future uncertain

There was much pomp and fanfare at Gandhi Bhavan and NTR Bhavan on Ugadi, the other day. Despite the festive look at their offices, politicos of both the parties appeared anxious over the electoral prospects of their parties in the next polls.

However, during the 'Panchanga Sravanam', pundits refrained from making any forecast on the fate of these parties and confined their predictions to weather conditions etc.

Now, the netas looked sad. Meanwhile, much to the dismay of the Congress and the TDP, the astrologers at the event organised at YSRC headquarters, foretold that YSRC would sweep the 2014 polls. Despite this, the YSRC flock is a worried lot. The reason is that the predictions did not make it clear whether Jagan would come out of jail before polls.