Issues hound AP; but ministers, top cop go on tour

 As Andhra Pradesh struggles to grapple with acute power and drinking water shortage, besides issues of terrorism, sexual violence and unemployment, five state ministers, along with the Director General of Police (DGP), embarked on a pleasure trip to Russia and Ukraine, despite the chief minister’s alleged attempts to stop them.

According to rumours making rounds in the state secretariat, the ministers – T G Venkatesh, Erasu Pratap Reddy, Vishwaroop, Ganta Srinivas Rao and Kasu Krishna Reddy – managed to convince the chief minister that their trip was private and obtained his permission.

 In the case of DGP Dinesh Reddy, it has been said that the chief minister has no say as the former enjoys full backing of the Congress high command. The police chief went ahead with the trip despite the fact that the Dilsukhnagar blast case is heading nowhere.

The ministers went ahead with the trip even as the TDP MLAs went on a hunger strike and the TRS and YSRC planning major agitations in the coming week.  More over, the ministers and the police chief did not get the nod for the trip from the Centre and even the CMO has said that there has not been a written approval for the trip.