AP gets ready for division

Paraphernalia allocation smooth; T-logo mired in controversy

The division of the state into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (AP) is complete at least on paper.
As per the directions from the governor’s office the shifting of files, furniture and other paraphernalia from the 176 government offices has begun.

The new boards of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will be in place when the new governments will take over the reins of administration from June 2.

The division includes distribution of printers, computers, fax machines, papers and even pins between the two separating states.

As per the building division committee, the A,B,C and D blocks in state secretariat have been allocated to Telangana, with a row of flower pots dividing them from AP secretariat which gets H, J, K and L blocks.

AP chief minister-designate Chandrababu Naidu will be occupying the office in the oldest block (H) in the secretariat instead of the L block chosen for him. Chief secretary-designate IYR Krishna Rao, along with experts, visited L block on Saturday and discussed the feasibility of setting up the chief minister’s office there.

The present Assembly building was allocated to Telangana and the old Assembly which currently houses the office of Speaker went to the residual state of AP. However, the Council building stays with AP and the Jubilee hall has been allocated to Telangana to run its council from there for ten years.

While the chief minister’s official residence on the Begumpet Public Road was allocated to Telangana chief minister and the Lakeview Guest House on Rajbhavan road was to house AP chief minister, neither K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) nor Chandrababu Naidu are in a mood to shift to the official accommodation immediately.

KCR, a strict follower of  Vaastu, is not keen on shifting to the official residence where the earlier occupants, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and N Kirankumar Reddy had an abrupt end to their careers. The AP Bhavan in Delhi also has been divided between the two states, but there will two resident commissioners overseeing the day-to-day operations.

However, the Telangana Government Employees unions have urged the Government Building Division Committee Chairman Syambabu not to allocate part of the secretariat to AP government.

They argue that having Seemandhra employees in the vicinity will rake up old enmity and create bad blood.