THE SECOND DAY of the winter session of the Andhra Pradesh assembly, on November 19, ended on a rather stormy note as leader of the opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu staged a walkout; he later vowed that he would not return to the assembly till he was voted back to power. A few hours later, the 15 reporters who gathered at the Telugu Desam Party’s office expected to hear him criticise the government. What happened though left them utterly surprised.
A few minutes into his address, the TDP supremo started sobbing. Senior journalists who had been tracking the TDP closely had never seen him emotional, let alone in tears. “They (the YSR Congress Party) are resorting to character assassination of my wife,” Naidu told the media moments after his breakdown. TDP media coordinator Prakash Reddy, who has been with the party since its inception, said he cried all day after seeing his leader so hurt.
The gloves are off in Andhra Pradesh, where the political rivalry between the ruling YSRCP and the TDP is getting ugly and personal. After Naidu’s breakdown, curiosity peaked with regard to what exactly happened on the floor of the house. The YSRCP leaders quickly denied targeting Naidu’s wife, Nara Bhuvaneswari, daughter of the legendary Telugu actor and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N.T. Rama Rao. They cited official records which did not show anything that corroborated Naidu’s claims.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock