Top news developments in Telangana today

1. Chief Election Commissioner Rakesh Kumar to address a press conference on winding up the Commission’s three-day tour of Telangana to review the preparedness for the Assembly elections.
2. Congress Manifesto Committee will start its district tours today to interact with people and leaders of various groups. The committee led by MLA D. Sridhar Babu will visit Warangal today. Representations received from people will help in preparing the Manifesto.
3. After private colleges now even the Government institutions are forcing the students to pay their fee to take their certificates for higher studies as the government is yet to release the Fee Reimbursement funds to them. As the universities open their doors for admissions for PG courses several students eligible for the fee reimbursement scheme are facing this problem.
4. Backward Classes and Economically Backward Classes students will be eligible for the Fee Reimbursement Scheme even if they get admission in the 200 institutions in the country enlisted by the Telangana government. Till now, they were eligible for the scheme only if they studied in the institutions in Telangana.
5. Telangana to launch a seven-year biodiversity strategy and action plan today.
6. United Nations Population Fund’s India Ageing Report shows the status of elderly care in Telangana and the challenges ahead.
7. New construction blocks the view of Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex. The AKTC which is carrying on the conservation work has written to the government about its concerns and how the development will blight the site.
8. Backward Classes leaders in Telangana Congress will get advantage over the general category even if the surveys show their popularity is lesser than the general candidates. The party is committed to social justice, is the argument of the party leaders.
9. The silence of some BJP leaders, particularly ex-Congress leaders, over the rumours of them leaving the party is getting stronger despite the visit of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi twice in a week to Telangana. BJP leaders Vivek Venkataswamy, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy and Vijayashanthi continue to be under watch as their names figure in the list prepared by the Congress to bring them back. Former MP Konda Vishweshwer Reddy has categorically denied that he would leave the BJP.
10. As more and more leaders from the BRS join the Congress the party is gaining the perception of getting stronger but it is also facing a new challenge of existing leaders resigning from the party as they see the entry of leaders from other parties hampering their chances in the elections. Two DCC presidents have already resigned to the Congress party.
11. With the intention of the BRS clear that it would continue with the candidates announced a month ago, the sitting MLAs who lost out to the newcomers in four constituencies continue to raise their voice despite efforts by the Minister, K T Rama Rao to pacify them. Ghanpur MLA Rajaiah said he was still hopeful of getting renomination in the place Kadiyam Srihari who has been given the ticket. Similar situation is seen in Jangaon constituency where sitting MLA Muttireddy Yadagiri Reddy refused to acknowledge the ticket seeker Palla Rajeshwar Reddy.