Political battle over role of guv in AP intensifies

Narasimhan, the common governor, asked to intervene

The political battle between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the implementation of Section 8 of State Reorganisation Act has intensified further amid reports of the Centre asking the Governor ESL Narasimhan to step in to resolve the issue. 

Narasimhan, who is  the common Governor for both the states, has been reportedly advised by the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to invoke the contentious Section 8  and personally monitor the case.

Under the act, the Governor has special powers to oversee law and order and public security in Hyderabad, which will be the common capital for both the states for a period of ten years before becoming the permanent capital of Telangana.

The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in AP, whose leaders are caught in the cash-for-vote scandal, have been demanding invocation of Section 8 to bestow special powers on the Governor to probe “illegal phone tapping” of its leaders by the Telangana government. The TDP leaders, including Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, are unhappy with Governor’s approach and some of them had even accused him of favouring Telangana government in the matter. 

However, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Telangana is strongly opposed to the Governor overseeing law and order in Hyderabad. Against the backdrop of the brewing political storm over the issue, the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao called on the Governor on Tuesday and is said to have made it clear that the control of law and order in Hyderabad should remain with the Telangana government.

“I will not keep quiet, if such a decision is taken by the Centre. I will write to all the chief ministers in the country and seek their support on the issue” KCR reportedly told officials. 

The Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has speeded up its investigation into the scam.

On its part, the AP government constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged phone-tapping and also sent a notice to a news channel, owned by family members of Telangana chief minister, for broadcasting the audio tape.