Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, top politicians of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and Telugu film personalities on Thursday paid their last respects to TDP founder NTR’s son Nandamuri Harikrishna, who died in a road accident.

Venkaiah Naidu placed a wreath on the body of Harikrishna, at his residence in Mehdipatnam area here. He consoled the family members including his actor sons Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram.

Later talking to reporters, he recalled the services of the actor-politician in films and politics. Naidu described Harikrishna as an obedient son who gave strength to his father N. T. Rama Rao.

The Vice-President said Harikrishna was an affable person and used to speak in a free and frank manner. He recalled that in the Rajya Sabha he insisted that he should be allowed to speak in Telugu and when the then deputy chairman said the rules don’t permit it, Harikrishna intervened by offering to translate the speech in English.

Harikrishna (61) died on Wednesday when the SUV, which he was driving, overturned while negotiating a turn in Telangana’s Nalgonda district.

A former Member of Parliament, former Andhra Pradesh minister and politburo member of TDP, Harikrishna was son-in-law of TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Chandrababu Naidu, his son and cabinet minister Nara Lokesh, Harikrishna’s brother actor Balakrishna, several other ministers and TDP leaders from the neighbouring state are camping here since Wednesday.

Governor of both Telugu states E. S. L. Narasimhan and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had paid their last respects on Wednesday. Ministers, MPs, leaders of various political parties and film personalities and Harikrishna’s fans made a beeline at his residence to pay homage.

Actors Nagarjuna, Arjun, Jagapati Babu and director Raghvendra Rao were among the film personalities who paid their last respects.

The last rites of Harikrishna will be performed later in the day in Hyderabad with state honours. Police have made elaborate arrangements for the funeral procession from his residence to Mahaprasthanam in Jubliee Hills.

(IANS)

Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Thursday surrendered before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here to serve his sentence in a fooder scam case.

Lalu Prasad surrendered before Justice S.S. Prasad, who ordered he be sent to the Birsa Munda Central Jail.

From jail he could later be shifted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for treatment, the judge said.

The Jharkhand High Court on September 24 had directed him to surrender by August 30. He was out on provisional bail since May 11.

[IANS]

Veteran Congress leader and former minister Baburao Chinchansur joined the BJP party on Wednesday in the presence of state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa and Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Niranjan Jyoti.

A two-time MLA from Gurmitkal constituency, Chinchansur, who belongs to the Koli Kabbaliga community had risen to the post of Textile Minister in former CM Siddaramaiah’s cabinet. He was however dropped form Siddaramaiahs’s cabinet in the year 2016. In the recently held state assembly elections, he was defeated by JD(S) candidate Naganagowda Kandkur by a margin of 25,000 votes.

Speaking to media persons Chinchsaur said that he decided to switch his loyalty after being sidelined by the Congress party. He further stated that the Congress had not recognised the Koli Kabbaliga community even after 70 years of Independence. On the contrary the BJP has recognised the party and even made Ramnath Kovind the President, and also made Niranjan Jyoti a minister, he said adding that he aims to bring the Koli Kabbaliga community under the Scheduled Tribes category.

He also alleged that few Congress leaders had conspired for his defeat him in the recently held elections.

Meanwhile Baburao’s switch, ahead of the 2019 elections could be beneficial for the saffron party which is looking to strengthen its base in the Hyderabad- Karnataka region.

The Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) on Wednesday commenced normal operations after a two-week closure due to floods in Kerala.

It was shut on August 15 after the airport was flooded, causing widespread damage to infrastructure.

The first aircraft, a domestic flight, touched down at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, airport officials said.

CIAL authorities said that in a day or two, the airport would be functional like earlier.

For the past three days, more than 1,000 people were engaged in putting the airport back in order, cleaning and repairing the systems which became non-functional after flood waters entered the complex.

According to CIAL, the disaster has caused a loss of around Rs 300 crore to the airport. A temporary compound wall has been erected after the earlier one was washed away.

The airport was first closed on August 9, for a few hours, after which it was again shut on August 15.

The Cochin airport is the busiest of three airports in Kerala and handled 10 million passengers in 2017-18 fiscal.

Four policemen were killed in a militant attack on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, officials said.

Police said the militants fired at the escort party of a senior police officer in Arhama village, about 2 km from Shopian town.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) S.P. Pani said the exact details were being ascertained.

Reports from the area said the senior police officer was not with the escort party which was going for repairs of the vehicle when it came under attack.

According to reports, the militants decamped with three service rifles of the slain policemen.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that any unconditional financial support from anywhere should be accepted, as it will bring solace to flood-hit Kerala.

Gandhi made the remark while speaking to reporters before beginning his second day trip to the flood-ravaged areas of the state.

He was responding to a question on India’s ‘rejection’ of funds to the tune of $100 million offered by the UAE government for flood relief work.

“My personal opinion is any unconditional offer of funds to reduce pain and sufferings should be taken,” said Gandhi.

On the question of the support from the Centre to the state, he said that it was sad that the Centre had not really supported the way Kerala wanted.

“This is Kerala’s right and they should give more,” said Gandhi. He said he was in the state to express his solidarity with the people who were suffering and not to do politics.

Gandhi arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday and visited half a dozen camps in the southern districts of the state, where the flood had hit hard.

Gandhi was scheduled to travel to the hilly district of Wayanad in north Kerala. However, due to bad weather it was cancelled and instead he opted to go to Idukki.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) approved the new advertisement policy — the BBMP Outdoor Signage and Public Messaging Policy and Bylaws 2018 — to regulate the flex and banner menace in the city.

The policy prohibits all commercial hoardings in the city. The policy will be submitted to the High Court for its hearing.

Bengaluru Mayor, Sampath Raj has said that even government offices are barred from using flex and banners for its events. “Only display boards with public message is permitted.

Vendors, too, have been banned from carrying advertisements of any product on signages outside their shops.

“The name boards of the shops will have to follow the specifications mentioned in the bylaws, apart from ensuring prominence to Kannada,” he said.

“And this is subject to specific rules like using 60% of the display in Kannada and sticking to the prescribed size,” he added.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy plans to seek Centres help to rebuild flood-hit Kodagu district.

Kumaraswamy said that he would meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and seek a help of Rs. 3,000-crore as immediate relief rehabilitate and rebuild the district.

Kumaraswamy, who toured the flood-affected areas, said the final report on extent of loss is being prepared by the district administration.

The Chief Minister said 1 crore was donated to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in Mysuru, with Suttur Mutt donating 50 lakh and farmers and various other organisations giving away cheques for carrying out relief work.