Hyderabad: BJP senior leader P.L. Srinivas on Friday urged the government to retain Secunderabad in the proposed division of the GHMC into three bodies, demanding municipal status for the cantonment town. He decried plans to merge it with Malkajgiri or Rachakonda as “an assault on history and identity.”
In a statement, Srinivas cited Secunderabad’s legacy as a British cantonment founded in 1806, with its own civic ethos, tree‑lined avenues, and landmarks such as the railway station (1874) and Rashtrapati Nilayam. “Cities aren’t Lego blocks; Secunderabad is a living organism shaped by culture and geography,” he said.
He opposed the government’s proposal for Greater Hyderabad, Greater Malkajgiri, and Greater Cyberabad corporations, warning that merging Secunderabad would dilute its identity, greenery, and cosmopolitan character. He recalled its pre‑1960 autonomy and role in military history and trade, urging decentralised governance to preserve heritage amid growth.
“Don’t commit historical vandalism, let Secunderabad remain distinct and dignified,” he appealed.
BJP cadres rejoice M’rashtra win, eye GHMC boost
BJP workers Mahayuti alliance’s landslide in Maharashtra’s civic polls at the state party office here, with Telangana leaders eyeing a similar surge in the upcoming GHMC elections. Mahila Morcha activists waved flags and performed celebratory dances amid chants of “Jai Shri Ram”.
Led by state president N. Ramchander Rao and Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind, cadres hailed the BJP’s majority in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Rao called the victory a morale booster for Telangana BJP, predicting it would “resonate strongly” in the GHMC polls. “This Maharashtra mandate reflects national trust in Modi’s leadership,” he said.
Farmers cheer as Govt pays MSP for red gram
The government has begun procurement of red gram (kandulu) at minimum support price (MSP) for the 2025‑26 kharif season to protect farmers from market volatility, agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said on Friday.
In a statement, he said the state, in coordination with Telangana Cooperative Marketing Federation (TG Markfed), is buying the pulse at Rs 8,000 per quintal, above the current market price of about Rs 7,200. Red gram was cultivated in 4.99 lakh acres this season, with an estimated output of 2.99 lakh tonnes. The Centre has approved procurement of 1.71 lakh tonnes.
Procurement began on December 27 and will continue until March 26, 2026, across 82 centres, 13 of which are already operational. Payments will be credited directly to farmers’ bank accounts via direct benefit transfer (DBT), he said.
Operations are underway in Narayanpet district, with phased rollout in other red gram‑growing areas. Rao urged farmers to bring produce to TG Markfed centres, bypass middlemen, and fully utilise the programme
